Armistice
by Glowing Blue
Summary: An alien race declares war on Earth, and Karin is determined to protect her family during the onslaught. But she never planned on cross-dressing as a boy to infiltrate the army, or even falling for the enemy Prince. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

_"Aizen-sama," a low voice said in a hush, "we have done it. He is in the dungeons."_

_A handsome man with brown wavy hair smirked._

_"Excellent, Kira-san. I am very pleased with you and your men." He stood off his throne and headed to the door. "Come. We must welcome our guest."  
_

_The blond bowed low as his superior walked by him, only standing when the man had passed, and then following him out._

_The castle they shuffled through oozed prosperity at every corner. Every room had high ceilings, exquisite draperies hung from the spotless clean walls, each chamber was laden with obviously expensive rugs and furniture. Large windows made it possible for every passersby to witness the beautiful gardens outside, bustling with fresh flowers and unique plants, and the sun shining brightly without a cloud in sight.  
_

_Neither man paused to take in the beauty. Instead, they rushed through the hallways, the blond looking uneasy and the brunette with an excited gleam in his eyes._

_They stopped when they reached a locked door at the end of a secluded hallway._

_"Kira-san." Aizen said. "He is in here?"_

_His companion nodded and fished a large silver key out of his pocket._

_"Madarame and Ayasegawa are inside, watching over him. We found it necessary, as he has already tried to escape several times."_

_The brunette's smirk became more pronounced at this. However, he did not speak his mind as he snatched the key from the man's hand._

_"Thank you for your services, Kira-san," he said quietly. "You have done well to serve your king. I will be sure to never forget what you have accomplished for me today. You may leave now."_

_Not seeing any way, or reason, to refuse, Kira bowed low and quickly departed._

_Aizen waited until he heard the footsteps die away before quickly inserting the key in his hand into the lock._

_"Yo, Aizen-sama!" an excited voice called from inside. A bald man flashed him a smirk. "You come to see him?"_

_"Yes," Aizen answered, taking in the dark, dusty area that was the dungeon. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and only light came from a dull light bulb hanging on a chain in the middle of the small hallway. Many were unaware that such a place existed in the palace, as the planet was so joyful at most times. Recently, however, the peace they had been enjoying had been shattered._

_"Well, you gotta watch out for him. He's real feisty." Madarame licked his lips at this, an evil grin on his face. He had always enjoyed strong challengers, even if they were just humans. "And a real kicker to boot. Already nailed Yumi in the head a couple times. Almost kicked off his feathers."_

_The so called "Yumi" could be seen sulking in a corner, his hands clapped over his forehead and a horrified expression etched on his face.  
_

_"I will be sure to keep that in mind," Aizen replied, sounding amused. "Now, if you men would excuse me, I have a guest to attend to."_

_Madarame stepped off to the side to give the man access. The brunette walked down the dingy hallway, passing many prisons with checkered metal bars. Some were empty, and some were occupied by prisoners either sleeping or sitting in corners with no emotion in their eyes whatsoever. The spark within them had burnt out long ago._

_He stopped when he reached the last cell. This one was occupied as well, but the prisoner inside startlingly contrasted with the other prisoners._

_There was a fiery burning of rage and passion blazing in his eyes._

_"What do you want?" he snapped at him._

_"Now, now," the visiting royal clucked his tongue in mock disapproval. "Your manners seem to need some work, even for a human, Hikaru-kun."_

**.. ღ ..**

"Karin?"

She hears her favorite voice calling for her as its owner enters their bedroom, but does not bother turning. Instead, she rests her head on her arms, which are folded atop the balcony she is leaning on, and sighs.

"I am such a terrible daughter," she mutters, her eyes never leaving the bright moon suspended so seemingly close.

A moment later, a pair of arms snake their way around her waist, a body presses itself against her back, and out of the corner of her eye, she sees a head of white hair rest on her shoulder. She does not bother turning to look at the eyes she can feel boring into her face, or giving any indication that she is aware of his presence other than pulling one hand out from under her chin and placing it delicately on the cheek resting so closely to her neck. Soon, she begins to softly rub the soft skin with her thumb.

He does not say a word, knowing that she will elaborate when she finds the words. And she does.

"How could I have been heartless enough to betray my planet like this, Toushi?" she says, solemnly. "I am positive my family is still not aware of my whereabouts. Not since "Hikaru's" capture, or possibly before it."

With a disheartened sigh, she takes her hand off of his face, and instead places it upon the balcony ledge with the other. She lifts her head once again, straightening her body and his along with hers, and lays it back against the figure behind her.

He does not speak for a moment, possibly contemplating her words. Never having been one to act before thinking extensively, she is sure he is taking his time to ponder a pacifying answer.

"You need not worry, my love," he finally speaks in his deep, comforting tone that is so rarely heard by any. "From all you have told me, my in-laws are understanding and kind. All that is important now is that you are still safe, and still have the future possibility of someday paying them a visit and reassuring them."

"But I am such a disgrace now!" she suddenly cries, her voice noticably louder. "It was a horrid enough desicion of mine to trick and lie to them before running away, but to actually wed the son of my people's enemy...to be happy when they are laced with worry and anguish...to love you..."

In an effort to soothe her, he unwraps one of his arms from her waist (though the other considerably tightens its hold), and places it on her shoulder. Gently, he traces his fingers down the smooth skin of her bare arm, pleased when she instantly breathes in softly, melts back against his body, and calms at his gesture. When he reaches her wrist, he slowly lifts his hand off of her arm, and instead places it atop her small hand on the ledge. His own hands are significantly larger, despite his short stature, and seem to entrap hers.

He suddenly lifts her hand to his lips, and places a kiss upon the back. She does not speak, but does inhale sharply at the unexpected action. Appreciating her response, he slowly moves up to her knuckles. After kissing each one, he flips her hand over and gently pecks her palm.

"Toushi..." she shivers at his kisses, and reactively curls her hand into a fist. He forcibly straightens it, and gently runs his lips up her palm. When he reaches her fingers, he flips her hand once again, and caresses the back of each digit with his mouth.

"Please, my Queen," he speaks in a low whisper. "Please do not speak as if loving me is a sin. Your affection is my life now; it was even before the day we agreed to become husband and wife."

To clear her thought process, she lightly pulls her hand from his grip.

"I feel the same, my King. I will never once regret the choice I made of becoming your lover, but that does not change my act of betrayal, which is something I will _always _regret. I do not deserve the title of Human, nor the title of Wife. Not when this war is still so intense-"

"You must be aware that I am trying my hardest at ending all this bloodshed-"

"I am," she cuts off his interruption with her own. "I am fully aware that you are a compassionate man and a fair king. I understand that your efforts to end the warfare are great, but I also understand that the acts Aizen committed so many years ago cannot be forgiven easily, which is why I have lost hope of ever seeing my family again; of reassuring them, of apologizing to them, of explaining my treason to them."

"You did your best for your people," he suddenly cries. It is so uncharacteristic of him to raise his voice that she finally turns to look at his face directly. The green eyes and tan skin are as handsome as they were this afternoon. "It was not treason that you committed, but an act of patriotism. Your love for your people was so astounding, and still is because you still belittle yourself for something you did for their benefit, and in complete selflessness."

And his sudden rant creates an urgent need within him. His lips catch hers in a fiery passion. She is shocked by the sudden kiss, but allows the intimate contact.

When his lips make contact with her neck, she allows him to ravenously assault her sensitive skin, and wraps her arms around his torso.

There is no more talk on the subject for the remainder of the night.

**.. ღ .. **

_"If you're waiting for me to bow down and call you "Aizen-sama," then you're gonna have a long wait, old man," Hikaru said, waspishly._

_"You need not worry. I have no intention of expecting such a miracle from a human." Even when insulting, Aizen had a calm smirk on his face._

_"So what are you going to do with me?" Hikaru suddenly asked. "If you think you're getting any information from me, you're gonna need the worst torture machine you have. And I still won't tell."_

_"Have no worries; there will be torture. But I do not plan on using it to get information. We already have dozens of spies in your armies for that." He chose to pause at this moment to enjoy the look of complete panic in the prisoner's eyes at hearing this shocking information. "No, you will serve a much more important purpose: bait."_

_Hikaru recovered quickly enough to laugh boorishly at this._

_"And what makes you think the entire army is going to surrender just because you have me locked up?" he sneered, even though the statement was really underrating him._

_"Do not think yourself important enough to be at the center of my plan," Aizen said lazily, as if he was explaining something very obvious to an unintelligent person. And he did consider humans unintelligent. "You are simply one of my many pawns. My faultless plan will ensure that I attain all of your pathetic planet's most significant figures as my prisoners in only a few month's time. Perhaps then your army will admit defeat."_

_He retreated from the cell after that comment, knowing that it would ensue torment and sorrow for the soldier who tried so hard to protect his race, only to realize that it was about to be annihilated._

_He passed by Madarame and Ayasegawa again, not pausing to chat this time. Not to his surprise, when he exited the dungeon, he found himself face-to-face with his most trusted advisor, Ichimaru Gin._

_"Just the man I wanted to see," he said, smiling widely. It did not reach his eyes, which still held the sadistic look they had had in the jail cell. He handed Gin the key in his hand, but not before locking the door. The two guards inside had their own secret passage to exit the prisons inside._

_The two departed from the isolated hallway, heading back to the throne room._

_"Heard 'bout ya new playtoy, Aizen-sama," Gin said cheerfully, his large grin never leaving his face. "Are we gonna have fun with him, like we did with all the others?"_

_"Indeed we are, Gin," Aizen replied. "But I will need you to keep a special eye on our guest. Madarame and Ayasegawa will not be enough to keep him suppressed, I'm afraid."_

_"An' why is that?"_

_"Because the two imbeciles did not even take any notice to the fact that our dear Hikaru-kun is female."_

* * *

**Yay, new story! I think this is the longest first chapter I've ever written for a chapter story: 2,300 words!**

**Let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_Hinamori-sama, congratulations! Here is your new son, M'Lady."_

_The young queen of Serra Leoa beamed as she was handed a white blanket. When she pulled it farther apart, she felt tears spring to her eyes._

_Inside was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. There was a tuft of white hair on his small head, a trait he shared with his paternal grandfather when he was growing up. His pudgy cheeks were a bright red, and his eyes were closed tight as he slept peacefully. She wondered what color they were, and hoped they were a bewitching green, like his father's. His small fists were clenched in tight fists and the tiny toes on his feet were curled. When he cooed in his sleep, her breath caught._

_She was absolutely enchanted._

_The maids all smiled; some reached for their handkerchiefs and dabbed at their wet eyes._

_The kingdom of Serra Leoa had awaited this day for nine months. Even longer really, because the king and queen had desired a child of their own since their first night as a married couple._

_The only disconcerting part of the situation was that their king could not be present to witness the birth of his first and only son._

_Many had been dismayed when the news had arrived that the young king had been mauled while hunting, but none more so than his spouse, who had been eagerly awaiting his return from his trip in order to inform him of their wonderful news._

_Two months into her pregnancy, there had been a period of great anxiety. The widowed queen's depressed state and crying jags had caused great harm to the baby. When she felt the sharp pain in her abdomen, the royal had been rushed to the palace healers, and the kingdom only breathed again when they learned the unborn baby had been saved._

_Now, all praised and thanked the Lord that the young prince had experienced a healthy birth and was well and whole._

"_I'll name you Toushiro," Hinamori whispered to her new son, afraid that she would wake him. She smiled warmly when she heard the baby's slow and even breathing. "May you be blessed with a long and prosperous life, my son."_

_**..ღ ..**_

_Aizen had a rags to riches story. His home had been burnt down at a young age; he lost his family in the fire and was shipped to an orphanage on the outskirts of his small village. The orphanage treated him kindly enough, but they had so little money that sometimes the children went without proper nourishment, so they all took work to help their caretakers._

_His father, a fisherman, had many friends who were willing to teach their dead friend's son their mastery, and so Aizen immediately took hold of the opportunity. But he detested the work, finding it smelly and unglamorous; he was very inept at it, because he held no respect for it. Instead, he had a skill with things such as numbers and calculations. In other words, he was very well read._

_When an old merchant passed through his town, he stopped by the peer to buy fish. By a stroke of luck, Aizen was ordered to help the man carry his load to his wagon. After a small conversation in which the young lad manipulated his words to impress, he was offered the chance to be taken under the elder's wing. When he left his small village, he never looked back._

_He displayed great skill at the art and was very adept at business. Soon, he was traveling the world, and not much later, he had acquired a small fortune._

_Many who met him said he was respectable and opportunistic. Only those who knew him best understood that he was power-hungry._

_It was during his travels that he encountered Serra Leoa. The kingdom was the center of their planet, which was named after it; it ran exports and imports, it regulated businesses, it created rules that the entire race had to follow. It was like the entire planet was the employees, and Serra Leon was their boss._

_And at the heart of Serra Leoa was Queen Hinamori Momo, who ruled their world with a compassionate hand._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_When Toushiro was only two years old, Hinamori met Aizen; even at that age, the toddler did not like the man._

_His mother was another story._

_She was absolutely smitten with Aizen, because he was so handsome and fair, just like her late husband. The two began meeting, and she soon started to come out of her grieving state for her lost lover. Instead, she found a new love._

_When the two began courting, Toushiro did his best to keep them apart. When Aizen arrived at the palace to escort Hinamori on a walk, he would begin kicking up a fuss, and whenever his mother left him for too long, he started crying loudly._

_Despite his best efforts, the entire planet was soon celebrating at the news of their beloved queen's engagement with the admirable and able young merchant._

_Although the kingdom had a new king, Momo was still the rightful owner of the throne, and therefore continued running the nation that did not discriminate their ruler because of gender. She turned to her husband only sometimes to get his input, but her years of experience made her a competent ruler._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_When Toushiro was eight, his mother was sent to the palace healers with a small case of the flu._

_The next day, the young child was taken aside by a hysterically sobbing maid, and learned that his mother had passed away early in the morning._

_Aizen was immediately named the new ruler of Serra Leoa. He now had an entire planet under his command._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_Toushiro and Aizen never saw eye-to-eye. Toushiro absolutely loathed his stepfather. The man was fake, and the teen did not understand how his mother could ever have been so infatuated with him. Nevertheless, he was stuck with the brunette as his only last remaining family._

_The young boy detested that this man had taken away his mother's time from him at such a young age, for thinking he was good enough to marry his mother, for not taking good enough care of his mother to prevent her death._

_When Aizen began forcing him to take many different classes, including archery, martial arts, swordsmanship, calligraphy, tea ceremony, winged-horse riding, and many others, in addition to his schooling, to prepare him for his approaching inheritance of the throne, Toushiro detested him even more for restricting his freedom._

_The young boy began rebelling. He let winged-horses out of their stables during his lessons and let them run amok, broke his calligraphy brushes, spilled tea during his tea ceremony lessons, and purposely lost arrows by releasing them into the woods surrounding the palace gardens and then claiming he simply had no talent at the sport. His tutors hated teaching him and complained frequently to their new king._

_Aizen never once punished him. This, instead of warming Toushiro up to his new father, only made him suspicious. Even his kind mother had administered some consequences to his acting out. But Aizen simply claimed that he was growing up and this rebellious streak was simply a part of it, and would soon pass._

_It never did, and though Toushiro stopped acting out so obviously as he grew up and matured, he still despised Aizen, and wished him out of his life._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_When Toushiro was eleven, their planet entered a war._

_Aizen explained to the frightened Leoans that the planet Earth, which was a celestial body located not far from their own in a galaxy many referred to as the Milky Way, had recently ordered their army to prepare for an attack on their planet, which they thought posed a threat. Apparently for no reason, or so Aizen said._

_He informed them of the many brave Leoans that were still now poised at Earth among the humans, and that they had intercepted and decoded a secret message sent to and from the many rulers the opposing planet possessed that consisted of a detailed plan to invade their territories._

_The kingdom cheered as he declared that they would enter this war courageously, if only to prove that Serra Leoa could never be overtaken by such an inferior planet._

_Toushiro did not believe a single word of the bullcrap that spewed from the man's mouth._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_When Toushiro was seventeen, the war was still waging heavily. Many lives had been lost on both sides, but the Leoans were still keeping hope that they would win in the end. _

_One day, the young prince overheard some guards talking animatedly about the new prisoner in the dungeons. Apparently, he would be the first of many, and this would lead to their victory on the battlefield._

_He was well aware of where the dungeons were located; years of sneaking around the palace at night to pull pranks had taught him all the secrets of the castle, such as the secret passageways and hidden doors._

_Aizen had assumed he had been stealthy enough when leaving the dungeons. He missed the pair of teal eyes that had watched his departure from the hallway._

_Toushiro overheard him and Gin speaking of the very same prisoner that infatuated the palace guards. Apparently the captive was a...manly female. Or was it a feminine male?_

_Despite his confusion, he was still eager to meet this hostage. And though the dungeon doors had been locked by Aizen, he knew of the secret exit of the guards within, and only had to wait for the prison to empty, so he could catch a glimpse._

_**.. ღ ..**_

_When Toushiro was seventeen, he caught his first glimpse of a human, whom, he had grown up learning, were the most despicable of all races, and would forever remain the enemies of the Leoans._

_**.. ღ ..**_

__

_When Toushiro was eighteen, he fell in love with a human._

* * *

**This chapter is just to give you guys a bit of history on the story and characters that live in Serra Leoa, which is why it is all in italics (past).**

**I had to think long and hard to think up a name for Toushiro's planet/kingdom. Through a stroke of luck, I came across a website that tells you how the names of the countries in the world are pronounced/spelled in different languages (www. geonames .org - now I've given credit). 'Serra Leoa' is how you pronounce 'Sierra Leone' in Galician and Portugese (the similarities are probably obvious now that I've told you).**

**And no, the story does not take place in Sierra Leone. I chose it because the name sounded "old kingdom-ish" and fitting for the story. I actually wanted to figure out how to say 'Japan,' but it turns out prett much everyone pronounces it the same way, or not different enough, and Sierra Leone sounded exotic enough even without a change, so it seemed perfect.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

_Karin had grown up listening to the tales of her father's heroism as a part of Japan's army. He had been drafted while in college, and had even received a medal for his bravery on the battlefield._

_Though she hated to admit it, Karin really looked up to her father for this, which is why she wished to receive the same honor. She wanted to be a part of the army._

_But the army hardly allowed fifteen year old girls to join up. And so she was left to switch on the television every morning, and listen to the horrific news about the war being waged._

**.. ღ ..**

_When Karin was two years old, her brother had shown her their father's medal for the first time._

_She was a curious baby, and because she was not tall enough to see what was placed on the mantle above the fireplace in their living room, she spent a good amount of time just staring at it, imagining all sorts of wonderful things that could be up there._

_Ichigo took pity one day. He pulled a chair from the dining room next to the fireplace, climbed up until he was standing on the seat, and plucked the medal from its resting place._

_She had been in awe when she first held it in her hand. It was so shiny, and the ribbon attached to it was such a bright blue. She loved blue!_

_And then, of course, she had proceeded to place the precious object into her mouth and suck on it. Being only two, she had only valued the medal for its viewing and playing value, and had not realized its importance._

_Ichigo had freaked out, and pulled it straight out of her mouth, knowing he would get in trouble if his mother or father discovered that he had let his little sister handle it; he then suddenly dropped it in disgust, as it was covered in saliva._

**.. ღ ..**

_When Karin was four, her mother passed away._

_A burglar had broken into their home, not realizing that the Kurosaki family had canceled their annual trip to the beach because of horrid weather conditions at their vacation spot._

_The three children had been pushed into the nearby linen closet, to ensure their safety. Their father had tried to disarm the attacker of his knife while his mother had hurriedly called the police._

_Karin had been too busy holding onto her hysterical sister and leaking a few tears herself to notice that her brother had slipped out._

_His curiosity had been piqued, and he had gone out to see if he could help his beloved parents in any way. The burglar, seeing his opportunity to escape in the little boy, had chucked his knife as hard as he could in his direction. Masaki had immediately jumped in the way; the knife made a critical hit on her shoulder._

_By the time the paramedics and police arrived, the young mother had lost too much blood to be saved._

_The twins changed after the incident, the whole family did; Yuzu became obsessed with housework, Isshin became extra crazy, Ichigo became withdrawn, and Karin toughened up._

_It was at the age of four that Karin discovered how cruel humans could be._

**.. ღ ..**

_When Karin was seven, she had her first kiss. More like she had her first kiss stolen from her._

_Her best friend from childhood was moving away. On the day of his departure, he came to say goodbye._

_Karin did not cry, but she was very saddened._

"_It sucks that you have to leave," she said, solemnly._

"_Yeah."_

_Her friend looked very anxious for some reason. She was concerned._

"_Hey, are you o-"_

_She was cut off when he pressed his lips to hers. After a brief moment, he pulled away, and had enough sense to bolt down the street, not looking back._

"_O-Oi!" Karin was steaming mad, and decided she hated boys and kissing. "If it wasn't already obvious, we're not friends anymore!"_

_The little bastard was lucky they never saw each other again._

**.. ღ ..**

The couple are seated on their bed, both content in each other's arms. It is one of those nights when the two are bursting with love for one another. He is sitting on the edge, and she has taken a place on his lap. She is facing him, and her legs are wrapped tightly around his waist.

He pulls back, takes her chin within his hands, dips his head and kisses her sweetly.

"Hmmm." She sighs softly at the pleasurable sensations that are evoked within her at the touch of his lips.

"I love your kisses the most, my love. They simply cannot be matched by anything." He simply shakes his head at her words.

"You give me too much praise, my Queen. I only excel because I desire to please you, nothing more. After all, you are the only woman I have ever shared my lips with."

As she pulls him in for another kiss, somewhere in the back of her mind, she curses the boy who has denied her the opportunity to share her own first experience with the man she loves.

She had hated him then, she absolutely despises him now.

**.. ღ ..**

_When Karin was nine, her mother's young cousin got married._

_She begged Yuzu and Karin to be the flower girls. Yuzu agreed right away, ecstatic at having the chance to dress up and throw flower petals at guests. Karin refused point blank._

_It was only through her father's insistence that she finally agreed, as long as the dress was not pink, frilly, or itchy. And if she was allowed to take it off as soon as the ceremony ended._

_She made sure they kept their side of the bargain. She and Yuzu marched down the aisle in matching light blue dresses made of soft silk material. She was not allowed to scowl, but she found a loophole by pointing out that they had not made it mandatory that she smile either._

_The second the ceremony ended – when the bride and groom had kissed – she unzipped her dress right there on the podium, and pulled it off. Underneath, she was wearing black basketball shorts and a white t-shirt. She gained a lot of dirty looks from the wedding guests for that stunt._

_The bride had no problem with her actions. She was too far gone in her own euphoria. She had just gotten married, and there was a baby on the way. Her new husband put a gentle hand on her inflated stomach, and the two smiled warmly at one another._

_Yuzu was beside her self with glee at the scene._

"_Isn't that beautiful, Karin-chan?"_

"_What's so beautiful about a woman getting knocked up before getting married? She's lucky the dude was willing to marry her, or she would have been stuck with a baby."_

_Yuzu made a face at her._

"_Don't be like that. They're in love. And I'm sure she would have wanted the baby, even if they weren't getting married. Babies are so cute!"_

"_What's so cute about a little snot-nosed monster crying and eating all the time? Not to mention having to change diapers; that's disgusting!"_

_Yuzu pouted, throwing her an incredulous look._

"_You're unbelievable -"_

"_Thank You."_

"_- Karin-chan. I bet you'll be talking differently after you have kids of your own."_

_Karin only snorted at this._

"_I don't think so. I don't plan on having kids, and you know me; I always get what I want...or 'what I _don't_ want' makes more sense in this context, I guess."_

_Yuzu grinned mischievously._

"_We'll see," she said in a sing-song voice._

"_No, we won't" Karin countered, copying her voice. "Trust me Yuze, it's not going to happen."_

**.. ღ ..**

She tightens the hold her legs have on his waist. He notices.

"Something wrong, my sweet?" he asks, concerned. She shakes her head, a smile playing on her lips.

"No, something is right." She chuckles at his puzzled expression. "Perhaps the wine we had following dinner is making me overly affectionate but," she cups his face with both hands and smiles tenderly, "I love you."

He allows a rare smile to grace his lips. It takes away her breath; it has been so long since she has seen his lips tug upwards, his smiles being so few and far between.

"I do not need wine to tell you that I love you too."

After a few moments of pecking at one another's lips, he pulls back.

"Karin, are you...happy?" he asks suddenly. She looks at him, surprised at the unexpected question. He elaborates. "Not a day goes by that you miss your family. Am I keeping you from meeting them and being truly happy?"

He is surprised when she chuckles.

"Toush, you seem to be forgetting one simple fact; I have you now, and you are my family."

His stiff posture remains rigid.

"It is true I miss my family. They were noisy and energetic, and though I complained, I loved – _love_ – them, but I love you too. If it worries you still so much, we need only to make our own family."

He looks are her, hopeful but disbelieving. She grins at his expression.

"You have made it clear to me that you desire children, my King. Although I was unsure at first, I have decided that, if it is you, I am willing to lay down and have child with you."

He freezes, but there is excitement shining in his eyes, along with the joy he feels is almost impossible for him to convey. She smirks.

"We could begin now, if you would like..." she hints.

He is quick to suddenly stand up, placing a hand on her waist and back to keep her from falling, and flip them, so that when they fall back on the bed, she is on bottom.

He hurriedly unties the sash around her sleeping kimono, and marvels at her beauty after he pries it open. It is an act they have committed countless times, yet to him - to _both _- each is as sacred as the first. This one will be the most divine; both hold a steady hope for the future outcome of the night as he reaches out to slowly touch.

Her skin is softer than the silk of her clothing. When his hands make contact, she breathes in sharply. When his lips make contact, she cries out lustfully. As the slow pleasure builds, she finally decides to join their deed with her own ministrations.

His own kimono is already open; he had planned to take it off, as he does every night. She reaches out to touch the exposed skin tenderly; he sighs happily when she does.

They lay in bed, only roaming their hands over one another, content with just that for the moment. Neither are in any rush, never are whenever they fall into bed together. It is only when she slowly unwinds her leg from his waist that the movement jerks him into action.

He slides off so he can set her carefully in the middle of their mattress, and lays himself atop once again. Their bodies wind together, their actions become quicker. It is a slow build up, and soon, their emotions peak, and their bodies collapse.

As they settle comfortably in each other's arms, side by side, she smirks.

"I must remember to add 'an apology to Yuzu' on my list of tasks that must be completed once I finally see my family again."

He does not ask for clarification, only covers her mouth with his own.

**.. ღ ..**

_Yuzu stuck out her tongue at her sister, but her eyes lit up when she saw the emptying altar._

"_Look Karin-chan. Now we can go congratulate aunty and her husband."_

"_But you already did that before the wedding," Karin whined, but Yuzu ignored her, and pulled her towards the married couple by the wrist._

"_Aunty, Uncle, congratulations!" Yuzu cried._

"_What she said," Karin added halfheartedly._

"_You two are so sweet." Their mother's cousin grinned. Being family, she was used to Karin's attitude, and was aware that it was an amazing feat for her to simply bother saying anything._

_Yuzu's eyes were on her aunt's stomach, and she looked absolutely awed._

_'You'd think she'd never seen a pregnant woman before,' Karin thought, rolling her eyes._

"_How many months to go?" her twin sister asked in a hush, as if she was in the presence of a sacred deity._

"_Only two more," their new uncle answered, beaming._

"_Have you had an ultrasound yet? Or is it a surprise? Is it a boy? Or a girl? Have you decided on a name yet?"_

_Karin grimaced, having expected the sudden flurry of questions._

"_Yes, we have done an ultrasound," the groom said. "Had it done as soon as the doctor said we could. I'm the impatient type," he added with a wink._

_'The proof is the growing fetus inside your wife,' __Karin thought grimly, while Yuzu giggled._

"_It's a girl," their aunt continued, sounding extremely proud, "and we've decided to name her Hikaru."_

_

* * *

_

**I've decided to leave off here just to confuse you guys. I hope I did!**

**Just so you know, a lot of the future chapters will be flashbacks; I'll probably use present tense mostly for short HitsuKarin moments that we all love so much ;D**

**I'd like to apologise to sayo-chan64. I know I told you that this chapter would be about Karin's "betrayal," but it didn't work out that way, so you'll have to wait. Sorry :(**

**I would have had this up way sooner, but I've been having trouble with the website. A thousand thanks and hugs to CrystallineX, who put up the trick needed to finally make it work on her story _Re:Hollowfication. _****I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_Who are you_?_!" cried the terrified human, sweat pouring down his face._

"_Please do not shout, Mr. President," was his attacker's reply. The blond haired Leoan flicked back the hair hanging over his left eye. "It is pointless, anyhow. We have put your guards to sleep, and they will not awaken for a long time. I suggest you come with us quietly."_

_Behind him, a white haired man was grinning wickedly. When the poor victim shrank back against his chair, he smirked._

"_Kira-san," he spoke for the first time since the invasion, "it seems our friend is calling for help."_

_The frightened leader squeaked and, in his surprise at the words, dropped a remote adorning a bright red button; no doubt if he had pressed it, someone, somewhere, would have been alerted of his situation._

_Kira sighed. He hated it when their victims did not cooperate nicely, because then he was forced to resort to physical means._

_Stepping forward, he reached for his waist. When his hand had encircled the hard object it had been searching for, he grabbed it and unsheathed a sword._

_The President squeaked, his eyes eying the pointed weapon and not moving from it, even when the Leoan stepped forward until he was only inches away._

"_There is no need to be so frightened, Mr. President," Kira attempted to calm his whimpering, "I do not plan to kill you. That would only defy my king's orders."_

_The human still did not lift his eyes from the sword._

_Kira silently raised it, and turned it around, so that the hilt faced the ruler, rather than the blade._

_The President only had a moment to look confused before the hard metal made sharp contact with his neck. He slumped forward in his chair, unconscious._

_Kira sighed, sheathed his sword once again, and lifted the man into his arms, before throwing him over his shoulders._

"_Ichimaru-taichou," he said, turning to his superior, "I have captured the target."_

"_Good work, Kira-san." replied Ichimaru, "Aizen-sama will be happy with ya. Load him on the wagon like the others. We're outta here."_

_Kira bowed, despite the load on his shoulders, and headed to the window. He hopped onto the ledge, and then jumped to the ground so far below. His taichou followed soon after._

_With amazing agility and strength, they landed gracefully and safely onto the soft grass, defying all laws of gravity that should have flattened them to the ground after the jump from the very large height._

_As they passed through the area, he stepped over many snoring bodies – well, Kira stepped over while Ichimaru took great care to tread upon them, leaving footprints on their bodies – all wearing the same uniform of guards._

_They arrived at a small wagon parked on the side of a large gray path they now knew was called "a road," and pulled aside the large cloth covering the entrance. Inside was a shocking sight._

_Dozens of humans, male and female, had been packed in together, their hands and legs tied, their heads lolling in sleep, and their figures draped in obviously expensive clothing, marking their status as rulers._

"_Today was a good day," Gin remarked as they threw their latest captive into the wagon. "Aizen-sama's plan is almost over."_

_Once the wagon sight of prisoners had once again been covered, both Leoans stepped back._

"_Kira-san. Get us home."_

_Kira nodded curtly in respect, before raising his hands, palm facing away from his body and towards the landscape present. He closed his eyes and his brow furrowed in concentration. It took only a moment for a green glow to emit from his hands. Gin did not look surprised._

_It came out of nowhere. Any passing human would have gaped at the sight of a large, wooden gate suddenly appearing out of thin air; Kira and Gin simply looked satisfied._

"_Nice work," Gin complimented._

"_Thank you, sir." Kira grabbed the wagon by its handles and pulled._

_Soon, the two pushed open the doors and stepped through, into the land of Serra Leoa. After it closed behind them, the gate vanished._

**..ღ..**

"I have always found it fascinating how such a planet so far behind Earth's time like Serra Leoa has managed to power through this war. When growing up, I always assumed that my home planet would win this war in only a few days, because we have so much technology. It is very impressive of the Leoans."

He smirks, amused by his wife's chatter as they exit the throne room. The two head for the gardens, exhausted from their meeting on the progress of the war, and hope to find some peace in the tranquility of the palace's lawns.

Some find it odd that the king, known for being an icy and independent person, allows his wife to be a frequent attender of war meetings and battle planning. This surprise is sprinkled with shades of doubt from those who still do not trust the queen to stay loyal to their kingdom; she is, after all, a human. Who is to say she will not side with her own people when the time comes for her to decide where her loyalties lie?

The king is aware of this talk, has been since he announced to the public his affection for his stepfather's previous captive, and his desire to wed her. The queen is aware as well, not from overhearing gossip or from declarations from Leoans, but because she is an insightful woman, and knows – _has _known, since she agreed to marry her lover – that no race will ever fully trust those that originate from their opposition. At least, not for a long time to come.

It pains her to know this. She dearly loves Serra Leoa; she loves their formal way of speech that she has now unconsciously adapted to, loves their courageous unity under a single threat, loves their simple way of living as merchants and farmers, despite their lacking compared to her own planet's lifestyle, loves her husband, and wholeheartedly loves her position as the queen of such a wonderful people.

She has no choice but to patiently wait for their trust, which will hopefully sprout once the war ends in the peaceful way her spouse and herself hope it will.

"Your species might be advanced in technology and weapons," he explains to her as they exit the palace and enter the courtyard, "but my species is very thorough and strict in their training; every child learns to wield and properly use a sword at a very young age. Not to mention, we have an unexpected advantage with our secrets of demon magic."

She smirks, remembering her very first time witnessing this demon magic, though remarkably, on Earth.

**..ღ..**

"_Wow, how did you just do that?"_

"_You think that's cool? Watch this!"_

_A meek green light emitted from the surprisingly young man's hands, and a second later, the light vanished to reveal him holding a blood red rose in his hand._

_His young audience plucked it from his hand, staring at it closely, as if trying to figure out whether it was real. He chuckled._

"_Wow, Hikaru. If I had known this is all it takes to get you excited, I would have used this to get you into pornos."_

_Hikaru sent a fierce glare his way, obviously annoyed. He laughed._

"_Oh, come on. You know that everyone makes fun of you for looking so much like a girl. It doesn't help that you have absolutely no interest in girls, which is so weird for a boy your age. But we could change that."_

_Hikaru sniffed disapprovingly and shoved the flower back into his hand._

"_How a perverted bastard like you became a commander of the Army, I will never know. You may be my commanding officer Ryou-sempai, but that doesn't mean I have to stick around to hear your sick jokes. I'm outta here."_

"_It was just a joke!" Hikaru could hear Ryou yelling, but she ignored him._

_It took only a few seconds for Ryou to catch up to her, and he slowed his jog to match Hikaru's pace._

"_Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Yeesh, you're so sensitive. No wonder everyone thinks you're a girl."_

"_You know, apologies are better received if you don't immediately insult the person afterwards."_

"_...alright, you're not a girl. Happy?" But he continued to mutter what Hikaru assumed were unpleasant words under his breath._

"_I will be...if you teach me how to do what you just did."_

_Ryou considered her for a moment, before smirking._

"_No can do, kiddo. It's not some trick that just anyone can pick up." He puffed out his chest in pride. "You have to be very focused, and intelligent, and dedicated."_

"_Then how the hell did you manage to learn it?"_

_Ryou pretended to look offended, and playfully punched her arm._

"_You're a real crack up, kid," he said sarcastically. "I bet you could take out an enemy from making them laugh so hard that they die."_

"_If that's _your _attempt at being funny or sarcastic, I think you should stick to long range shooting and espionage missions."_

"_You know, you just implied that you think I'm good at long range shooting and espionage missions."_

"_I never once mentioned the word 'good' in that sentence. Good Lord_,_ I thought you said you had to be intelligent to master that trick."_

"_A kouhai disrespecting a sempai? You've got guts, I'll give you that, little man."_

"_I'm flattered you think so highly of me." Hikaru did a much better job at the sarcasm than Ryou had._

_The problem was that Ryou was too nice, and always had been. Hikaru didn't understand how someone like him could ever be a part of an organization that killed, especially as a superior officer that actually _ordered _the killings. It was strange, and yet here he was, a part of the Japanese Army, and not the least bit perturbed about the future in battle._

_Hikaru would never admit it, but she really admired him for that._

**..ღ..**

_When Karin was ten, her country entered a war._

_A planet called Serra Leoa was discovered in a galaxy not too far away from her own. Unfortunately, it was discovered because they had declared war on her planet. For no apparent reason._

_There was no time for anyone to feel excited about actually finding life on another planets, as the scientists had been trying to do for years. Instead, everyone felt fear._

_Each country held a broadcast, and each country's leader made the grave announcement of approaching war to his or her people._

_Karin had only just come back from playing soccer with her friends. When she arrived home, her family was huddled in the living room, their eyes glued to the TV._

"_What?" she had asked, slightly afraid of the looks on their faces but not showing it._

_Her brother shushed her, and simply pointed to the television screen. On it, she recognized the president of Japan, and he was giving a speech._

"_This planet has been deemed a threat, not just by Japan, but by Earth united. There are no leads as to why they seek to make war with us, but we will fight, to protect our planet, our homes, our loved ones, and our peace."_

_Those that were watching the interview live erupted into cheers. Karin wished they would shut up, so she could hear more._

"_As of now, our country's army is banding together with the army of every other nation. To survive this war, we need put our differences aside, and unite against this common threat."_

_More cheers._

"_However, I regret to inform you, that the magnitude of this war calls for as many soldiers and power as each country can allow. Therefore, a draft will be put into effect immediately. Eligible men of legal age will be issued a train ticket that will lead them to the army's base for training, and are expected to report to train once they have received their draft letter."_

_Karin tuned out the rest. She was too busy processing what she had just heard._

_The army needed young men to fight in this war. But her family didn't have any men to send, right?_

_Her brother was too young, and her father had already done his part. Her family was safe._

**..ღ..**

_The next day, her father received a letter in the mail._

_He was ordered to report to an issued army camp, to train the incoming young men with the knowledge he had earned through his previous war experience, and then lead them into battle as their commander. _

_His heroism was needed once again, and a refusal to comply to the draft letter was seen as treason to his country. He had no choice but to obey._

_Karin, for the first time, found herself cursing the medal that she had always found so fascinating._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_All right wimps, listen up! The name's Ryou, but you can call me Commander. I'll be your leader during this war; you listen to me, don't do anything without asking my permission, and follow my every instruction, or I'll have you punished for insubordination. Got it?"_

"_Y-yes, sir," the cadets answered weakly, terrified of the prospect of serving under this new commander. He was frowning deeply, a look of disapproval and contempt on his face as he eyed the line up of newly arrived soldiers._

_Which is why it was such a surprise when he suddenly burst out laughing._

"_Hey, come on, guys. No need to look like you're about to piss yourselves; I was just joking!"_

_There was a dead silent pause, before someone gave a cough, and some men chuckled halfheartedly._

"_Okay, okay," Ryou muttered, rolling his eyes and running his hand through his sandy hair. "So you didn't appreciate it. I was just trying to lighten the mood. Good grief, this is gonna be a long three months."_

_He put his fist in front of his mouth, and cleared his throat._

"_Okay, I'll start over. The name's Ryou – I wasn't joking about that part. There's no need to call me Commander, though I am your leader – I wasn't lying about that either. Seriously though, if you call me Commander, I probably won't answer, so just call me Ryou, okay? Any questions so far?"_

_He was met with blank stares and incredulous looks, and tried to suppress a chuckle. However, he did let out a sigh; now he had to get serious._

"_Alright, I know I look young – that's because I'm probably younger than a lot of you actually – but I've had extensive military training. I joined the army right after I graduated high school, and the higher-ups think I'm skilled enough to teach newcomers, so that should tell you not to treat me lightly._

_"I meant what I said earlier; any form of insubordination will not be taken lightly. I expect your full cooperation at all times. We are in a war now, gentlemen. Every day of training is crucial to your survival in battle. Treat every moment seriously, as if you could be attacked at any second, and treat every stranger like an enemy; we do not know anything about this new planet, and do not know what they are capable of._

_"That being said, do not, under any circumstances, wander away from the campsite without a partner, or permission from a superior officer, such as myself. Despite what the government tells you, our first priority is not to win this war, but to get you home to your families safely. In order to do that, we need everyone working together as a team, and following rules."_

_And he suddenly gave a goofy grin._

"_So I hope I get to know you all well. Despite the jokes, I'm a pretty laid-back, cool guy, and when we're not training, that time is yours, so you can socialize however you want, provided we don't have any major fires, or anyone breaking laws. Get to know each other well gentlemen, because you are each others' allies in battle. Which is why, to help you guys get a head start on getting to know one another, we've already made the boarding assignments. Please find your cabin number, and pray that you get a nice roommate, because we do not change rooms for anyone, for any reason."_

_The men slightly grumbled under their breath as they headed over to the posted list to find out where they would be staying for the next twelve weeks._

_Ryou watched them cheerfully, probably because as the commander, he got a room to himself. However, there was one person who caught his eye._

_It was a young boy, who looked too little and fragile to be of age, let alone be part of a war. Ryou, overcome with curiosity, approached him._

"_Hey, little man," he said, and the young lad turned to face him._

_Ryou was amused to see that the boy not only looked delicate in body, but in face. He had very fragile features, and...feminine qualities, such as a small nose and full mouth. However, his eyes were sharp and focused._

"_Yes, Ryou-sempai?" he replied, an eyebrow raised in a questioning look._

_Sempai? Ryou raised his own eyebrow._

"_What's your name, little man?"_

"_...Hikaru."_

"_Sounds girly."_

"_It's a unisex name. Sorry that it's not up to your standards." The boy looked highly offended, and Ryou chuckled._

"_Hey, I was just making an observation. So, how old are you Hikaru?"_

"_...eighteen."_

_That was just too incredulous to believe. Perhaps Hikaru realized that too, because he flushed and looked away._

"_Uh-huh," Ryou remarked, his tone implying that he did not believe him one bit. "And tell me Hikaru-the-eighteen-year-old, do you have your draft letter?"_

"_Right here."_

_And to Ryou's immense surprise, Hikaru pulled a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket. The young army man took it from him curiously, and stared at it. It was perfect; every word was accurate, it had the government's official stamp, and even the President's signature on the bottom._

"_Huh, who would have thought. It's legit." Hikaru snorted._

"_And I'm here because...?" he sneered, and then added, as an afterthought, "sir."_

_Ryou laughed._

"_I like you, little man. You've got spunk. Alright, it's decided; you're my new best friend!"_

"_What_?_!"_

**..ღ..**

"_Come on, little man! We're all waiting on you. If you were in real battle, you'd be dead by now."_

"_Your pep talks suck."_

_Ryou laughed loudly._

"_This is the army, little man. We don't give pep talks, only Hell."_

"_Oh please. I saw you slip Satou an extra piece of bread during breakfast so he could actually finish his morning run without taking an hour. What do you call that?"_

"_Bribery," Ryou replied, grinning, and without a trace of shame._

"_Well, let's hope his team'll carry around a piece of bread with them on their missions. Otherwise, Kami be with him."_

"_Hey! The reason he's managed to keep up with his team is because _I've_ been coaching him. The bread was just a little...motivation, on the side."_

"_I'm sure when he has a heart attack from a heavy diet and lack of exercise, he'll be _real _thankful for your motivation."_

_And with that sarcastic remark, Hikaru reached the top of the wall, flung himself over it, and landed on the ground on the other side. Being the shortest of his team, his arms and legs were not terribly long, and it took him longer than everyone else to climb._

_Ryou ran around the propped up barrier they used for climbing, beaming as he reached his "best friend."_

"_And you said my pep talks sucked."_

"_They do."_

"_You made it over the wall, didn't you?"_

"_By sheer determination."_

_The older teen shook his head, clucking his tongue in disapproval._

"_A good soldier knows when to be modest."_

"_And a good Commander knows when he's being a hypocrite."_

"_You calling me immodest, little man?"_

"_Well, you do keep trying to take credit for a piece of bread's hard work."_

_Ryou laughed and clapped Hikaru on the back._

"_I really like you, little man."_

_Hikaru rolled his eyes._

"_You say that every day. Sorry, but I don't swing that way."_

"_Insubordination? You know, I could write you up for this."_

"_So you're saying it's my duty to like you?"_

"_I meant the sarcasm."_

"_You wouldn't turn me in. Then you wouldn't have anyone's room to sneak into every night so you can hug the life out of them because of a scary nightmare."_

"_There are plenty of other soldiers here besides you."_

"_You wouldn't ever go to them. _They_ still respect you."_

"_...that's true."_

**..ღ..**

"_Hikaru, you sure you don't want a drink? It tastes good."_

"_Yes, I'm sure, Ryou-sempai."_

"_Kami, you're such a prude. Do you come from some sort of devout family? I mean, no sex, no alcohol. You sure you're a man?"_

_There was no way for Ryou to know he was offering alcohol to a minor, or that he had dragged one to a rowdy bar along with the rest of the men in their training camp. Although Hikaru knew this, Ryou still received a glare._

"_Yes, I'm sure. How many times do I have to say no before it sticks in your head?"_

_Ryou was too busy taking a large swig of his beer to answer._

"_Hey, Ryou! Hikaru!"_

_Both looked over to see Satou, his large belly hanging over his pants despite the hours of exercise he put in along with his team, waving at them with a sly look on his face. He was obviously taking full advantage of the small break the troops were taking in the town nearby, because his face was very red with intoxication, and his eyes were out of focus already, although they had only been here for an hour._

"_I think someone wants your attention."_

_The two looked over to where he was pointing, and noticed two girls watching them from across the room. They were dressed in handkerchiefs. Or at least, that's what their dresses looked like in Hikaru's opinion; they were so short and didn't cover anything that _should _be covered. Not to mention, the amount of makeup on their faces made them look like plastic dolls._

_Ryou didn't seem to mind their appearance at all. In fact, he sent the two of them a nod, not at all hiding the pleasure in his brown eyes as he took them in. They giggled and batted their eyes in what they thought was a seductive manner when they noticed the objects of their attentions were looking back at them._

"_What do you say, little man? You up for some fun?"_

"_No thanks, Ryou-sempai. I have enough dignity not to go for some drunk whore waving at me from across a bar. But you go knock yourself out."_

_His superior officer didn't need telling twice. Not taking any offense to the implication that he had no dignity, he set down his large mug and sauntered across the room. Hikaru turned away with a look of disgust._

**..ღ..**

"_Ryou-sempai, what's your family like?"_

"_Hmmm? That's a pretty random question."_

_The two had strolled away from the campsite after their training, and were now lying in the soft grass in an open valley near the training site. Both had their hands tucked under their heads, and their eyes were closed in peace._

"_Well, I noticed that you never seem to talk about them, and you always find some excuse to leave a conversation when the talk of family comes up."_

"_Seems you've been watching me pretty closely," Ryou said, slyly. "And you said you didn't swing that way."_

_Hikaru punched his arm._

"_Leave the sarcasm to me and just answer the question!"_

"_Well, I have a pretty normal family. A mother, a father, a little sister. She turned six this year." Hikaru opened his eyes to see that a small smile had made its way to his friend's lips. "My mom's a kindergarten teacher, and dad's a mechanic."_

"_That sounds nice."_

"_...yeah. They're my foster family."_

_Hikaru untucked his hands from under his head and looked at Ryou in shock._

"_Foster family?"_

"_Mm-hmm. I lived with them for a few years before joining the army. Nice people."_

"_...what...happened to your real family?"_

_Ryou shrugged in a non-committal fashion._

"_Don't know. I suppose they died or something."_

_Hikaru processed this very carefully. How could Ryou be so uncaring about the whole situation? Didn't he _care_ that his real family was possibly dead?_

_Ryou must have seen the look on his friend's face, because he sighed._

"_Don't worry so much over it. I don't really care."_

_Although Hikaru looked uneasy, he nodded in affirmation. If his friend didn't want to tell him right now, he could wait._

**..ღ..**

"_Ryou-sempai_?_! What's going on_?_!"_

"_Hikaru! We're in trouble! There's a small army of Leoans down by the river."_

_Hikaru gasped, his eyes wide in terror._

"_How did they get so close without getting detected?"_

"_We don't know. I think they used their special magic to mess with our sensors."_

"_You mean the weird trick you're always showing me? That's a Leoan technique_?_! Why do you know it?"_

_Ryou looked a little uncomfortable._

"_Look, that's not important right now. What's important is that we've fixed our sensors, and the readings say the band of Leoans is heading straight for us!"_

_The frightened new soldier inhaled sharply at the news._

"_B-but...we're not ready. There's no way our soldiers could all survive an attack right now."_

"_I know. That's why I'm leading my team down to meet them and hold them off."_

"_No!"_

"_Look, Hikaru. This is going to need a little cooperation from you. I need you to take all the men to the bomb shelters by the town we go to for a drink. We showed them to you your first week of training, in case of an emergency, remember?"_

_Hikaru nodded quickly, but still looked petrified. Ryou smiled, trying to seem cheerful, but still looking rather sad. He put a hand on Hikaru's head and ruffled his hair._

"_Hey, relax, little man. You've seen what I can do. There's no way I'm going to let anyone beat me today, so you just make sure you keep yourself safe and don't do anything stupid, okay?"_

_Hikaru nodded slowly. Ryou grinned._

"_Good." He moved to the door of Hikaru's cabin quickly. Before he exited to where his team was waiting for him, he looked back and beamed at his best friend, giving him a thumbs up sign. "You know me best, Hikaru. You know I always keep my promises, and I promise I'll come back to you."_

**..ღ..**

_Ryou kept his promise._

"_Make way! We've got injured!"_

_The relief Hikaru had felt when Ryou's team had returned to the bomb shelters vanished as he took in the sight of him._

_He was sweating heavily, his face dirty and his breathing ragged. His shirt was also covered in dirt, torn in many places. But what caught his attention was his leg; someone had ripped one of his pant legs clean off, up to his knee, and everyone got a good look at the gapingly large wound on his calf, the blood trickling down, gushing so badly that no one could see the color of his flesh below the red._

_He was quickly moved to a private room. The group's healers hurried to his leg, trying to stem the blood flow and treat him. Hikaru moved towards his head, sitting down in the chair next to it and chewing his lip in worry._

"_Ryou-sempai!"_

_At the familiar call, Ryou's eyes fluttered open very slowly. They looked very hazy, as if he wasn't exactly all there._

"_Hikaru?" And then he smiled widely. "See? I told you I would keep my promises. I came back."_

"_Idiot," Hikaru whispered, but a relieved laugh escaped his lips as he gazed happily down at his best friend. "You still let someone beat you, and you said that wouldn't happen either."_

_Ryou laughed._

"_Yeah, well, the guy only cut my leg, and I killed _him_, so I'll call this one a victory."_

**..ღ..**

"What is this?" she asks, fascinated by the display of weapons before her. Though she knows quite a bit about many of them, there is still information she does not know, and she is eager to learn it.

He chuckles, wrapping his arm around her from behind, as she picks up the one closest to her and stares at it in awe.

"This one is a special blade. Not very effective for cutting, as you can see by how dull it is, but it is used as a tool to pick at locks. Any_ kind_ of lock, whether it be a warded lock or a padlock. The blade is infused with a special spell that allows it to shift shape to fit the lock it is opening. It is useful if you are on a special mission to retrieve information."

"Amazing," she breathes. "And this one?"

"Just a simple sword."

"I have seen the swords you use in battle, and they are never just _simple._"

He chuckles, amused by her matter-of-fact expression.

"Well, you are correct. This one duplicates itself if the wielder is powerful enough to handle the spell required to create a copy."

"How does a weapon maker even _think _of such clever ideas?" There is admiration in her voice.

"Each of our weapons is designed by a very special military expert; he has to be very experienced with battle, and the tools and ideas that are most needed by a soldier in battle. Then, a blacksmith will create the weapon, and finally, a sorcerer will infuse it with his magic, based on the designs provided, so it can perform "tricks" on the battlefield to give us the upper hand."

"Wow! Who would have thought creating weapons could be so complicated_?_!"

He laughs along with her.

"Well, our people are initially very peaceful, and so we prefer to focus on intellect, which is why even something as simple as creating weapons can turn into a labyrinth of ideas. And it is effective in battle, as you know."

"Do I!"

She sets down the sword in her hand, and picks up the next weapon. It is another small knife, but its blade is very sharp, and it feels rather heavy, despite its small size.

"What about this one?" she asks in a whisper, strangely feeling chills as she fingers it.

His face also turns solemn, eying the blade with distaste and pressed lips.

"Ah, well, this one is a rather gruesome one. Small but deadly. The blade itself is sharp enough to pierce even the toughest skin with one swipe, but the edge holds a very deadly poison, created by one of our herb specialists a long time ago. The victim of an attack from this knife is not expected to last more than seven days, if not from the wound, then from the poison."

**..ღ..**

_Ryou was dead within the week._

* * *

**Ugh! I felt so horrbile killing Ryou. I really liked him, even though he hasn't shown up much. But, I'm not through with him yet! There are still a few shocking secrets coming up!**

**No one mentioned him in the last chapter when he was first introduced, so I dont know if you guys liked him or not. Even if _l _liked him, is anyone actually happy that he died?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

Her eyes flutter open as the first of the sun's morning rays hits her face. She stretches lazily, enjoying the goosebumps that arise on her skin from spreading her arms above her head. Her feet slip out from her covers however, and she immediately curls her legs, pulling her toes back into the warmth.

With a content sigh, she then slowly turns herself away from the sight of the sun shining through a crack in the curtains, and instead faces the more beautiful sight on her other side.

It is so strange for him to still be in bed at this time. The war has caused so much tension and angst among the planet, and it is his duty to be up before even the sun, ready to consult in planning and overlook war preparations or peace negotiations. Today is a rare day in which he chooses to sleep in, and she feels a thrill at being able to wake up beside him in the morning again, even if is is simply a special treat today.

She smiles affectionately as she sees the slight furrow of his eyebrows; even in sleep, he is frowning. With a giggle, she slowly reaches out her hand, and places it in between his eyebrows, smoothing out the crinkle present with soft strokes. It works, and soon he looks simply peaceful, as if there is no heavy burdening troubling him.

Yet she does not stop. Her fingers continue to slowly caress his forehead, and soon she is reaching for his hair, feeling its softness slip in between her fingers and tickle her palms. He is a comical sight; one half of his hair is pressed flat against the pillow, while the other half is still in its trademark spiky state, albeit a bit more ruffled after a night's sleep.

Soon her hand is slipping out of his hair, and she traces the area behind his ear, until she reaches the start of his neck.

To make herself more comfortable, she props herself on her side with one elbow, and pulls her wandering arm out from under the covers, to allow herself more movement. With the blankets tucked under her arm, covering the rest of her body and shielding it from the cold, she slowly begins to move again.

She runs a hand down his neck, stopping only to feel his strong and steady pulse beat underneath her fingers. When she is satisfied by the evidence of him living, she runs her fingers down the rest of the path. She slowly runs her hand over the curve of his broad shoulders, sticking out from under their shared comforter, and then pulls back the covering, stripping his only layer to the waist.

She would have worried about his catching a chill from exposing his body, yet he always had a sort of immunity towards the cold. So much so, that he had discarded his sleeping kimono last night as always, despite the approach of the cooler seasons. As a result, she is rewarded with the sight of his bare muscular arms and body. She hums slightly in appreciation as her eyes greedily drink in the sight of him exposed.

"_Beautiful," _she cannot help but whisper.

It is true. He is the most beautiful man she has ever laid eyes on. More beautiful than even her, she thinks.

She runs her hand down one arm, delighting in the feel of his thick muscles covered in his tight, rough skin. She squeezes his bicep, marveling at the large bulge that signifies power, yet is able to hold her in the most gentlest ways. When her fingers reach his wrists, she jumps from his extremities to his body, as his hands are still under the blanket.

This is when her breath quickens. As she fingers his chiseled abs, her mind instantly brings her back to their passion in the night before, when she had taken care to lick each one and tease his naval with her mouth; his moans are still fresh in her memory, and she bites her lip to keep from taking a deep gasp of breath as she realizes that she need only dip her hands slightly under the covers to ...no, it somehow does not feel right when he is asleep and unaware.

She averts her eyes from the sight of the blanket drawn tightly around his hips, and instead moves north. She passes his stomach, and reaches his taut chest. As she places her hand in the middle, she is unable to resist temptation, and moves forward to place a kiss under her hand.

This is when he moves. She tenses as he shifts his body slightly, turning away from her and lying flat on his back instead, but he only gives a soft sigh before his breathing is normal again.

She chuckles. It is almost as if he is unconsciously giving permission to continue her ministrations. Of course, she will not deny the chance.

Her hand's journey near its end however; she slowly goes back up his neck, and then runs her hand across the outline of his rough jaw, feeling the soft bristles of his overnight stubble. When she reaches his face once again, she cups his cheek, and her wandering ends.

With a disheartened sigh, she pulls away. Well, she tries to, but a hand shoots out, and grabs hers before she can get too far.

"Waah!"

"Don't stop," is his only reply.

Lazily, he opens his eyes, a small, content smile playing on his lips. She sends him a playful glare, wrenching her hand free to place it on her hip.

"And just how long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know you think me beautiful," is his cheeky reply. He enjoys the flush that spreads across her cheeks, knowing she had not meant for him to hear. "And a lot longer than you have."

"Then why did you keep quiet?"

"I was curious as to how bold you would be when thinking me asleep. And I must confess myself disappointed."

She rolls her eyes.

"If only I had realized you were so crude before I agreed to marry you..."

"Hmm, it seems we have a problem. It is hardly agreeable for a lady to adhere to a husband she finds distasteful."

"Oh? And how do you suggest a lady fix this problem, my Lord?" she asks teasingly.

He takes on a look of pondering, as if perplexed by the situation, before he grins slightly mischievously. She has no time to react before she finds herself pinned to the bed, her husband lying on top, holding her down.

"Well, it seems to me the only solution is for this lady to realize that her husband is the perfect man for her and discard any nonsense thoughts of regret."

"Regret is hardly the emotion I am feeling at this moment."She grins seductively, extremely pleased with their current position. He takes only one look at the way she parts her lips and slowly runs her tongue over them, and soon she finds herself locked in a passionate kiss.

"Mmmm. I must confess, your bristle feels very...sensual."

He grins before placing his cheek against hers, and nuzzling her. She cannot help but allow a giggle to escape.

But, alas, a king and queen have busy schedules, and soon they are called upon by the maid who tidies up their quarters, reminding them of the many meetings they must attend for the day, and must no doubt be postponed now, considering his small break in the form of sleeping in.

As the two fix themselves for the day, she shoots him a deliberate disappointed look. He chuckles before pausing his action of tying the sash of his kosode, letting it fall open as he wraps his arms around her, the two still experiencing their heat from the earlier morning.

"We can always continue at a later time," he assures his wife.

She smirks before running her hand down his cheek to his set jaw, feeling his short hairs.

"M'kay," she mumbles, allowing the light feel of the moment to muddle her speech. "...Don't shave, okay?"

**.. ღ ..**

He has never liked Izuru Kira. Perhaps because the man had been Ichimaru's right hand man, or perhaps because he lacks a backbone now that his captain has been branded a traitor, or _perhaps – _and he knows this is the real reason – because his wife had liked him enough to appoint him the new advisor to the king.

"All he needs is a second chance," she had argued when he had voiced his distaste. "He was only doing his job."

And so, he had grudgingly allowed the man to become his advisor, and even more grudgingly admits that he is actually very competent in the position. He might be shy, but he has years of experience in battle – _this _battle also – which makes him the perfect consultant for this war.

"I suggest we call our troops in America to retreat," he suggests one day. "That country is our greatest threat; they have already proven from their history that they are wiling to go to any means necessary to win a war. Am I correct, Your Highness?" he asks, turning his head towards his queen.

She nods, thinking over the plan.

"Hmmm, that's true. In 1945, they dropped a nuclear bomb over Japan. It killed thousands and harmed many from the radiation for years to come, yet they still entered another conflict involving nuclear weapons with Russia only years later. They really do go the distance. But, retreating our troops? That seems rather drastic."

"We need to offer our peace," Kira counters. "We have tried peace talks, yet the planet is not trusting of us, and they will not be if we harbor threats in their countries."

"But America might be too dangerous. Perhaps a smaller country would be better."

Kira pauses, contemplating the suggestion.

"Alright. Which country would you suggest, Kira?" the king asks.

"Well, based on history, I would assume the Nordic countries are the best choice. They do tend to stay out of major conflicts unless other countries bring them into one, and they do depend on the protection of greater powers from time to time."

"Alright, send an order to Hisagi immediately, and ask him to withdraw his troops as soon as possible. If the plan goes without conflict, we might be able to negotiate peace with those countries afterwards, and set an example for the rest of the planet."

**.. ღ ..**

"Hisagi-san!"

"Hanatarou, what's the rush?"

"I-I bring a message from the king! Well, it's a message from Izuru-san, but he received it from the king, so technically..."

Hisagi chuckles, amused by the panicked look on the small man, as well as his panting and wheezing. After all, he is not really one for rough exercise.

"Hanatarou, please just tell me the message."

"R-right. My apologies, Hisagi-san. Here is the king's message."

He pulls a scroll from the bag slung over his shoulder, and hands it to the awaiting officer. Hisagi eagerly unrolls it, allowing his eyes to run across the paper quickly, and then widen as he absorbs the words.

"Retreat our troops_?_!" he cries, aghast. "That's just mad! What is our king thinking_?_!"

"I-I don't know..." Hanatarou squeaks, startled by the man's reaction.

Hisagi shoots him a look of annoyance.

"That wasn't directed at you," he snaps. "You may go now."

Hanatarou bows, his body trembling, and rushes out of the superior's tent. Once he is gone, Hisagi leans his head back and rubs his eyes with one hand.

"So, what are you going to do?" a sudden voice asks. Hisagi uncovers his eyes and catches sight of his lieutenant general, appraising him with a calm look.

"We have no choice," he sighs. "This is a direct order from the king, so we must go through with it. I'm sure he has his reasons. Call for a retreat."

Soi-Fon bows before exiting the tent, intending to comply to her superior's command as quickly as possible.

**.. ღ ..**

"Orihime-sama, are you done with your bath?" a voice calls through the door

" you, Atsuko-chan. It was very nice," Orihime answers as she opens the door, wrapped in a silk robe and towel wound around her hair, and offers a smile to her maid.

"Come sit, Orihime-sama. I'll brush your hair for you."

"Alright."

The two seat themselves on the bed, close to the balcony where the cool night air entering through the open doors is strongest and feels the nicest. Atsuko unwraps the towel on her head, and the long orange hair tumbles down past her mistress's shoulders.

Orihime closes her eyes, allowing the consistent soft strokes of the brush running through her hair calm her, and represses a sigh. It had been a hard day.

Immediately following her morning classes with her usual tutors, she had received a call from her brother, informing her that he would not be attending dinner, as he had a very important client awaiting his presence at a very formal restaurant. Because the client was very high class, her brother felt it justified his reason for canceling the dinner they had been planning to attend for many months now as a way to catch up with each other.

She loves her brother. He is kind to her, provides for her, makes sure she is happy and content. Yet, sometimes she wishes that he was not so involved with his work, not so much in the public eye, did not own one of the most famous companies in Finland. Perhaps then, the two would have more time for each other, as they did when they were children.

And because of her brother's fame, she is also expected to adhere to the ways of high society. She must wake early every morning, dress "appropriately" for a woman of her stature, though the dresses she is forced into are uncomfortable, and boss around maids, although she desires no excess assistance in her life. She has an image to maintain, but not by her own choice.

"Orihime-sama? I'm done."

"Thank you, Atsuko-chan. Now, I'm sure you're very exhausted from today's hard work,"– she smiles warmly as the young maid reddens and splutters protests – "so why don't you go to bed now? I'll soon be doing the same."

"Alright, Orihime-sama. Have a nice night." Atsuko bows low and exits.

Orihime's smile drops once she is alone. She saunters over to the balcony, sighs as she places her hands on the railing, and lays her head atop, looking out at the vast sky. At least her brother had thought to buy an isolated house, knowing she is most comfortable in a private lifestyle. They have a wonderful garden that stretches for miles; she even has to take a car to arrive at the front gates from the front doors of their home.

For a moment, she admires the stars, so bright in the dark night, and then, for just a moment, her eyes flicker down, her gaze running across her family's land -

She freezes.

Are those..._people_ she sees?

Squinting slightly, she lifts her head and, clutching the railing very tightly, leans forward for a better view.

Yes, definitely people, actually a very large group. How suspicious. What are they doing out here in the middle of nowhere and so close to her estate?

It is a split second decision, and soon, she is rummaging through her closet, slipping on a coat, and running out her bedroom door.

The night air is cool, but she ignores her shivers as she bolts towards the gates, it being too late for her chauffeur to drive her. She needs to investigate for herself.

**.. ღ ..**

"Are you fucking kidding me? A retreat! Only pansies and cowards retreat."

"Grimmjow, I'm sure you have no plans to deliberately disobey direct orders from our king, so stop your whining. None of us appreciate it."

Grimmjow scowls dangerously.

"Shut the hell up, Ulquiorra! No one asked for your damn opinion."

"No one asked for yours, either," his companion replies, calm and unaffected by his snappish answer.

"Yeah? Well, my opinions are hell of a lot more interestin' than yours -"

"No, they're not," anyone within hearing range interrupts. "Shut up."

"And don't talk to Ulquiorra that way again," a bald soldier with markings around his eyes growls, shooting Grimmjow a threatening look.

A low growl escapes the scorned officer, but he does indeed shut up, though he first throws everyone a very dirty look, flashes them with a rude hand gesture, and makes a show of refusing to look at anyone. No one pays him any mind.

"I'm sick of all this walkin'," a long dark-haired soldier grumbles. "Why the fuck can't we open a gate?"

"_Because, _Nnoitra," Ulquiorra answers, "we are under strict orders to remain hidden and harmless, in case a human spots us. This is a _retreat, _and is meant to be peaceful. We can't have humans discovering we are here and panicking."

"No one's around to see us!"

"Wrong," a pink haired one retorts. He points towards the distance, where a very extravagant building can be seen, barely hidden behind large trees and hills. "There's a house right over there."

"I'm with Nnoitra on this one," a man with wavy brown hair and a goatee says, stifling a yawn behind his hand. "A gate would be a lot faster. And a lot less work."

"Fucking awesome," Grimmjow grumbles. "Now we can be pansies twice as faster." He is ignored.

Ulquiorra sighs.

"Alright. I suppose we could, as long as we keep quiet and make sure the perimeter is secure."

Nnoitra rolls his eyes and, not bothering to check the area, holds his hand out in front of him. A green glow starts to emit, and the rest wait patiently for their way home to appear.

"Hey!"

The black haired soldier ignores Grimmjow's sudden cry, but the rest casually turn, freezing at the sight before them.

"Well, lookie what we got here," the blue haired man grins. His hands are wrapped around the arm of a struggling human female with flaming orange hair. She is half hidden behind a bush, the rest of her only visible because Grimmjow had pulled her out.

"No! Let me go!" she screams. "Who are you? I'll have you arrested for this!"

Grimmjow snickers at her feeble attempts to escape.

"You're pretty weak," Yammy comments, smirking.

"Guards! Intruders!"

"What are your pathetic guards gonna do?" Grimmjow laughs at the notion. "I'll snap 'em like twigs."

His humor vanishes, however, when she continues struggling and even attempts to bite his hand as defense.

"Look, girlie," he growls. "We ain't lookin' for a fight. Just keep your mouth shut until we leave, or else we'll have no choice but to drag you with us!"

She glares at him at the same moment the gate to Serra Leoa emerges out of thin air.

**.. ღ ..**

"I think it is later."

Karin grins as she steps closer to her husband, desire apparent in her eyes.

"Here, Karin? I hardly think our throne room is the right place."

"We're alone, right? I think this is the perfect time."

Before he can protest, she settles down in his lap, straddling and facing him, and presses her lips hotly to his, messily rubbing against his, per request, unshaved stubble. Though he rolls his eyes, he does return the gesture, wrapping his arms around her.

"My Lord! My Lady – _ack!"_

"Hanatarou," Karin groans, swinging her straddled leg off of her spouse and turning to set a glare on the trembling and horrified healer. He is, after all, very pure and innocent and has never seen such a display before.

"F-forgive m-me, y-your M-majesties..." he stutters. Karin and Toushiro grimace simultaneously.

"It is quite alright, Hanatarou," Toushiro attempts to calm the lad. "We were wrong to act in such a manner in such a place. What did you need?"

Hanatarou looks, if possible, even more petrified at the prospect of answering. Both royals immediately turn serious, knowing that because of the poor young man's timid personality, he is always stuck with delivering the bad news. What he has to say is no doubt unpleasant.

"Well, you see," he begins in a squeak. His eyes slide nervously over to the queen, knowing that the news he has to give would not sit well with her the most. "W-we had a few soldiers run into t-trouble while following your orders of r-retreat."

"What kind of trouble?" Karin asks sharply. She is very headstrong when it came to the protection of humans.

"Um, th-they were trying to open a g-gate, and a h-human saw th-them, and...um..."

"Spit it out!"

"They've accidentally taken a human girl hostage!"

Hanatarou gasps in air after he suddenly blurts out the message, surprised at his own sudden boldness. However, his breath catches in his throat when he takes notice of his queen.

Karin's eyes have turned a shade darker in fury, her fists are clenched at her sides, and her face is tinged with red. Both men present can practically see steam pouring from her ears, and, expecting the explosion to come, they take a step back, her husband not even bothering to calm her as he knows it is not possible.

"_What?_ How the _hell _do you take someone hostage by _accident!_"

* * *

**Wow, this ended up being really long. And all those Espada names were hell to type out on Word, always getting highlighted and aggravating me. I finally ended up adding them to the dictionary.**

**Who do you think I should pair Orihime with? I'm leaning towards Uryuu, but if someone is a UlquiHime fan, let me know. I'll go with the most popular pairing. But not Ichigo, since I'm planning on IchiRuki (surprise, surprise).**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_Yo, the albino freak staring at me from behind the wall? Yeah, you. Who the hell are you?"_

_Toushiro blinked, freezing slightly on the spot. He had been sure he had hidden himself so well in the darkness of the prison, yet this strange prisoner had seen him._

_Feeling slightly nervous, he shuffled his way over to the cell, trying to peer more closely at the man inside, now that he had a clear vantage point. He couldn't really see anything. But as he was farther from the dingy light bulb that attempted to illuminate the entire area, he noticed that the interior of the cell was so dark he could not see half the man's face. It only added to the chilling feel of the situation._

_He briefly wondered whether the prisoner inside ever felt lonely, trapped in a room too dark to even see his own hand, let alone any other companion. It could closely compare to a blind man, his world distorted by limitations._

"_That is my question. Are you, by any chance...human?"_

_He felt a sudden spark of excitement at the idea. This would be his first time meeting one; his stepfather had never let him into any of the meetings and planning of the war, and so he was very ignorant about the other side – the enemy._

"_What's it to ya, huh?"_

"_So you are...but you do not seem as filthy and savage as my history tutors have described."_

_He hadn't meant it as an insult – any intelligent man would have noticed it was actually a compliment – but the captive took offense._

"_What the fuck did you just call me_?_! Why don't you come over here and say it to me again_?_!"_

"_I highly doubt you would have any way to attack me – your hands are tied up."_

_So humans _were _as _unintelligent _as he had learned them to be._

_The prisoner chuckled darkly._

"_Never underestimate the power of a good kick," he said in a dangerous, low tone, yet it almost seemed like he was enjoying some sort of inside joke._

_The prince took a step back from the bars, not comfortable with the look on the man's face, especially as half of it was covered in shadows._

"_You never answered my question, pretty boy," the prisoner continued, smirking. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"_

_Toushiro smirked too. His title was something he was proud of, as it brought him respect and dignity._

"_I am the crowned Prince of this kingdom, and the future king, destined to rule this planet."_

_The prisoner gaped slightly, and he felt himself grow smug._

"_They let princes roam around the dungeons like this?" His voice sounded incredulous._

_Toushiro paused, not wanting to tell the truth. After all, it wouldn't do for the prisoner to think he had such little power in his own home that he had to sneak around in dark secret passageways. Especially this one, who seemed the type to sneer and mock, because Toushiro was not used to people treating him that way._

"_Tell me your name, human," he ordered, picking a safer topic. To him, it was only natural to give orders rather than asks questions or make requests._

"_No," was the blunt reply. "But what's yours?"_

_Toushiro frowned. People denying his demands was another thing he wasn't used to._

_Toushiro was the type of man who had had life handed to him. Although no one could call it a breeze – he _had _lost a father without ever knowing him, _had _lost his mother at an early age, and _had _had to put up with a man like Aizen – but he was also surrounded by servants on a daily basis._

_He may have thought his lessons and rebellion was difficult, but that was because he had never had to plow a field or cut down a tree in his life._

"_If you choose not to tell me yours, then I refuse to tell you mine."_

"_Then I guess we've reached a stalemate, huh?"_

"_It appears so." What a curious human. "Alright, then, tell me how many years you have acquired."_

"_A hundred and seven," was the snarky reply this time._

_The prince glared instead of frowning. The prisoner was so obviously making fun of him! That was a bold move considering the man was at his mercy._

"_I will not be spoken to that way, _human_," he hissed. "You are in _my _home and -"_

"_Hey, you got anything to eat on you?"_

_Toushiro broke off, his brows furrowed. The sudden question had thrown him off slightly, and he took a moment to answer._

"_No."_

"_Damn. Oh well, then I guess you're no use to me today. Come around again tomorrow when you get some food, 'kay?"_

_How dare this insolent little -_

"_Do not count on it," he replied coldly. The prisoner smirked._

"_Well, seeing as how I'm tied up in a prison in enemy territory, there's not much else left to count on, is there?"_

_He didn't answer, choosing instead to stomp away from the brat, who was watching him with amusement at the effects of his words. But they had left an impact on the young royalty. Not pity, but, oddly, a sense of..._guilt.

_But that was absurd. What did he have to feel guilty about?_

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_He was still very ticked off, but for some reason, he still returned the next day. Tucked securely under his arm was a package of leftovers from dinner he had stolen from the palace kitchens._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"What the hell were you thinking, bringing her along_?_! We were _retreating, _dumbass_._"

"What the fuck was I s'pposed to do, huh Nnoitra? Just let her call her guards on us? You know they woulda flipped!"

"_Yes, _but we would have been long gone by then, Grimmjow."

"Shut up, Szayel. No one asked you. And I saved all our asses, so I ain't takin' no more of this crap."

Ulquiorra can not either, so he departs from the arguing group – looking _very _suspicious huddled in the deserted corridor of the dungeons, he might add – and instead wanders aimlessly down the hallway.

He also thinks that Grimmjow's actions bordered beyond stupidity, but what's done is done. He has no qualms about the situation. After all, it was not _his _decision to kidnap a helpless human female from her home, and so he has no need to fear for punishment. It all falls on Grimmjow's shoulders, and Grimmjow's shoulders_ alone_. The idea almost makes him feel pleased.

The group's arguments become louder, echoing against the walls of the corridors, and he sighs deeply, closing his eyes wearily.

If it is not obvious, he does not like his team. Leoan armies, however, are strict. There are no decisions or choices a soldier is allowed to make. Team assigments are given based on skill and technique, and no pleadings for a different placement are allowed, and so from day one of his graduation, he has been stuck with this pathetic – and _rowdy – _team of soldiers.

They are not all bad. Of course, he and Grimmjow never see eye to eye, and he finds Szayel's narcissism and lewd comments disturbing. But, for example, he does not mind Starrk's company. The man is rather quiet – most probably because he spends his time sleeping, but that is better than spending his time sparring, because the other team members feel the need to issue the_ loudest_ battle cries possible when practicing – and stays away from loud spats. He is _tolerable_, like a few rare others in his group.

But if given the choice, he will gladly switch for a different group, or, even better, a solo position, in which he is not required to have to _tolerate _anyone.

"Mmmph!"

His thoughts are cut off when he hears an odd sound. It sounds much like a muffled cry. His eyes flutter open.

Being the sensible man he is, it does not take long for him to realize the sound is coming from within the dungeon. And there is only one person in there.

He hesitates. He likes avoiding the company of others whenever possible, and so actually _choosing _to subject himself to the girl is an undesirable idea, but he knows that if he ignores the cry and she does something unintelligent - as expected of humans – such as injuring herself by attempting to escape, he will be in just as much hot water as Grimmjow.

And so he painfully opens the door at the end of the corridor, and steps inside.

She is in the very first cell, as none could be bothered to waste breath to go any farther for her. His eyes remain expressionless and without any sympathy or pity as he takes in her predicament.

Her hands and feet are tied tightly by a tattered cloth they had found lying inside, probably used to bind the previous prisoner. It is to prevent any escape. But Grimmjow still has the bitter memory of her attempting to bite his hand, so he had tied up her mouth as well. The rag covering her lips is _very _dirty, and she seems to be disgusted.

Her hair and face are also in a disarray. Her locks are covered in leaves and twigs from her hiding spot in a bush, and her face is matted with dirt for the same reason. There is even a sractch going down her cheek. She is looking down in defeat, her eyes closed in sadness.

He feels that she deserves this for being foolish.

"What is it?" he asks her quietly.

Her eyes immedieately snap open, a strange hope in them as she hurriedly meets those of her visitor. He watches that hope crumble as she recognizes him as one of her kidnappers.

"You were making strange noises," he informs her. "So, what is the problem?"

And she stares at him incredulously.

_'Did you really just ask me that?' _her eyes seem to say.

"It could be worse." If he had been one for shrugging, he would have. "You should really be grateful."

_'Exactly what part of this situation should I be grateful for?' _This time, he can sense the sarcasm dripping from the expression. She need not even say it for him to undertand.

"We chose not to kill you. You still have your life, so you should be thankful."

_'Would you really have killed me?' _Her eyes widen in fear.

"Grimmjow can be hostile," he says in his usual monotone. "If he had wanted to, there is nothing we could have done to stop him."

Her expression saddens greatly at his uncaring response.

_'I want to go home,' _he reads her tears effortlessly. They make him feel uncomfortable. Perhaps because he is not used to crying females. An apology burns his tongue, but he does not say it, choosing instead to watch her close her eyes tightly, look down in defeat once again, and cry silently.

It baffles him slightly, and yet he feels a curiosity as well. There is such expression on her face. With just her simple eyes and visage, she is able to convey so much to him – sarcasm, sadness, surprise, fear, hope. It is such a contrast to his own ways of keeping his face poker straight. He knows that should he ever try, he could never acheive what she has – that blatant honesty on her face, allowing her to open up to strangers like him. Maybe even win their sympathies...

No. What is he thinking? He refuses to get involved with Grimmjow's problem.

"You might want to keep quiet," he spits out as he turns on his heels, ready to head out, far away from her. "It is useless to escape, and should someone get irked by your whimpers, they might not be as merciful as I to allow such a nuisance without taking your life."

He does not turn to see the apparent fear and repulsion he knows is in her eyes right now. Convincing himself that the thought of it does not bother him in the slightest, he strides out to meet his team once again.

There is another present when he arrives, however - a trembling young boy with straight black hair, who looks pterified as he takes in the towering size and muscle of the soldiers surrounding him.

"Y-your M-majesties require your p-precense in the th-throne room right away."

**.. ****ღ ****..**

She is seething as she awaits the arrival of Hanatarou and the soldiers he has been sent – _demanded, _by a bellowing queen – to fetch. She is seated at her throne, legs crossed, arms folded firmly across her chest, a fierce scowl set on her face.

Her foot is tapping impatiently, and her husband is watching it with a raised brow.

"I'm sure Hanatarou will return soon," he says slowly and carefully, a little afraid that his beloved wife will explode. The vein on her forhead is certainly reaching a disturbing size. "Please try to...relax."

He knows it is the wrong thing to say even before he says it.

"_Relax_?_!_" she bellows, turning her glare on him, and he resists the urge to cringe. "_How_, Toushiro? _How _do I relax when some _dumbass,_" - all of her adaption of proper words and ettiquette has been forgetten, and her previously crude language is resurfacing once again in the wake of this new disaster – "has captured a human_?_!"

He has no reply, and thanks his lucky stars when the door to the throne room creaks open.

"Um...your Majesties. I bring you the soldiers you reque-"

"Just come in!" she barks, and they can hear Hanatarou squeal in fright before the door swings open to reveal him. Behind him is a group of men, each dressed in the white uniform of the Serra Leoan army.

"Is that them?" she demands, and the messanger nods weakly, trying his best to sink back and disappear into the bulkiness of the soldiers.

The queen eyes them with narrowed eyes, taking in their ragged appearances and haughty air. One in particular catches her eye.

"You there," she says, and points to the short poker-faced one standing in the back. It might be her imagination, but she thinks she hears the one with orange eyebrows growl slightly under his breath. "Come forward."

The man does as he is told, bowing respectfully when he is directly in front of her.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"Your name, soldier?"

"Ulquiorra Cifer, your Majesty."

"Ulquiorra, tell me the exact events that took place the previous night."

"Certainly, your Highness. We were retreating from our posts, as ordered, when a large portion of the group expressed a desire to open a gate rather than walk the complete distance required to reach camp. Their was a human home in the vacinity, and as we awaited the arrival of the gate, a human girl was discovered hiding in one of the bushes. Grimmjow threatened to capture her lest she attempted to call for her guards, yet she resisted futilely, and so Grimmjow felt the need to bring her along."

"Which one of you is Grimmjow?" she asks darlkly as he ends his tale, her voice low and dangerous.

After much shuffling among the group, a bright blue haired man is pushed to stand in front of her. He is glaring at his unfaithful team.

"Grimmjow," she seethes, her glare set only on him now. "W_hat_, may I ask, compelled you to bring a human girl within our planet's land during an ordered _peaceful _retreat?"

"She was calling for her guards," he says, shrugging.

The king groans softly into his hands at the man's flippant attitude. It will not be helpful in this situation.

"I see," she continues, her voice suddenly frighteningly calm, and she nods like his explanation makes perfect sense. "Well, that certainly justifies the situation. Her guards would certainly have been a problem. Capturing her and abducting her and creating _a need _for the guards to _actually attack _was _obviously _the most reasonable solution to the problem."

Although there is a wide smile on her face, it is obvious from her excessive use of emphasized words that she is seething on the inside. Grimmjow shifts on the spot, looking very uncomfortable, as if he senses the danger.

"Karin," a soft voice intervenes, and all look hopefully towards the king, praying his next words will save the situation. "Are there not more important matters to attend to at the moment than interrogating Grimmjow here?"

She eyes him curiously, not entirely sure what he is attempting to remind her of. What could _possibly _be more important at the moment than -

"The prisoner!" she cries as she suddenly remembers, and her eyes widen at her own forgetfulness. "Grimmjow! Tell me, where is the prisoner?"

The uncomfortable tension in the room doubles for some reason. The blue haired soldier under scrutiny shifts, trying to mask his anxiety with his usual scowl. But the queen senses the intense feel between the soldiers, and she grows suspicious.

"_Where is she?_" she snarls with more fervor, her temper flaring once again.

A quiet whimper is heard from the very back of the silent group, and a weak looking Hanatarou trembles, hidden behind massive bodies of trained and bulky soldiers, which he had intended when he had chosen to stand there.

"I-I don't know..." he squeaks, his voice shaking.

The answer he recieves is uncannily similiar to his encounter with Hisagi Shuuhei.

"That was not directed at you," she snaps at him. "You may go now."

The young lad sighs with relief, and gladly bows and bolts away from the extremely awkward group gathered in the throne room, not even bothering to pause to open the door like a civilized person, but simply pushing it ajar as he runs.

The snickers are cut off abruptly at the dangerous expression on the queen's face.

"Well, you see...your Highness," – the soldier on trial hastily remembers to tack on a respectful title at the end – "we -"

"_You_."

A drifting voice corrects him, and he scowls as he obliges.

"Fine_. I _wasn't sure what to do with her, so I figured it'd be best to...ya know..."

The soldier finally begins to falter, realizing his actions are about to get him in serious trouble.

"_What?_"

"Well, I, er, put her...in the dungeons-"

"You _what_?_!_"

He is cut off when the queen suddenly springs from her chair and speeds across the room, not bothering to look at him or anyone else. However, she does remember to call over her shoulder, "Toushiro! Deal with the mongrel, would you?"

The king sighs wearily. As he looks over the subjects gathered before him – Grimmjow seems ticked off, but his team is undoubtedly amused at his predicament – he rests his head in his hand, which is supported by his elbow settled on the armrest of his throne. While he rubs his eyes, his thumbs brush something rough. He trails his fingers along his stubbled chin, and after assessing the situation, an off-putting realization hits him.

_'I suppose I am allowed to shave now.'_

* * *

**Sorry that it's not terribly exciting. It was a transition chapter, and to let you all know that...drrrrrrrr (my pathetic attempt at a drum roll)...the UlquiHime pairing has won! With 1 vote to 2. Though I suppose that's pretty obvious if you read the chapter, huh? I hope this does not turn off IshiHime fans, but I would understand if it did; I don't like reading fanfic with pairings I don't like in them, either.**

**And a note to UlquiHime fans: I hope you'll put up with my attempts at creating a romance between these two. Seeing as how it's my first time pairing them up, I might butcher it completely, but I'll give it my best! Feedback would be good, though, so I can make it more enjoyable for you. Are they too out of character, or is it moving too fast? Too slow? Once their relationship starts growing, I'd like to know, if you'd be kind enough. Thanks y'all!**

**Please excuse any mistakes I might have made in this chapter. My SpellCheck was not working for some reason. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyway, even despite its dullness and crappy English.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

_After Ryou passed on, the camp was chaotic for a long time. The other injured team members had to be taken care of, and the camp had still not been deemed safe. The soldiers had stayed in their cramped hideaway for days, awaiting the arrival of the messenger they had been sent to check out the camp. He came back within the week, and reported that both the camp and the river side was devoid of any alien species, and so the soldiers had begun the trudge back to their cabins, hauling their things with them._

_The soldiers were also in shock at the sudden loss of their leader. The other military officers gave strict orders to have his body burned somewhere deep in the woods, so it would no longer be a hassle. And when Hikaru requested to be a part of that team, to be given a chance to stick as close to the young lad as possible until the very last moment, she was refused._

"_We don't need emotional attachment weighing down our soldiers," one of the officers grunted before shoving her away. "Now get back to your post, boy."_

_And so she watched painstakingly as a heavily wrapped corpse, Ryou's body obviously inside, was led away by a team of stoic men, who were following orders to rid of the body quickly and efficiently. They returned by sunset with no change in their facial expressions, no signs at all that they were upset by losing their cherished leader and friend. It was a funeral that Ryou did not deserve._

_Hikaru was heartbroken. She had lost her best friend so suddenly, and to make matters worse, he had never even known of her awful secret. She detested herself for this. To the very end, all her most cherished comrade had known about her had been a lie._

"_I'm sorry, Ryou," she whispered to herself once, late in the night. "I wish I'd told you; I wish you'd known."_

_Everywhere she went, there were reminders of him. When the soldiers went to town in groups, she recognized girls not by their faces or names, but by whether Ryou had flirted with them or not. When she sat down for a meal, she noticed how dull everything seemed with Ryou not by her side, building awful food sculptures and belching loudly._

_And, oh, how she missed his smile! It had made everything so much more bearable, so much less weighted and overbearing. It had been optimistic and cheerful, always encouraging her and everyone else to do their best. He had known how to inspire his teams, how to get the best results, even when they had been discouraged._

_But it seemed like she was the only one who really missed him. No one else took notice of the sudden and strange emptiness, no one else felt the need to mourn. She had thought that his team, at least, would have been upset. After all, after her, they had been the next closest to the young boy. But she had come across one of their discussions one night while on her way to her cabin from the campfire._

"_Better him than me," she had heard one mutter, and the rest had murmured in agreement._

_Hikaru had turned away in disgust, and had been unable to look at any of them in the eye for a long time after that. But she also refused to be seen as weak or soft, and so she pretended to be the same; she went on with her duties, and her training, and her life, secretly missing her best friend._

_That was Hikaru's first loss. When she had first arrived at the camp, she had had an understanding of what awaited her. She had known that there would be heavy losses and injuries, quite possibly her own. But since she knew that what she was doing was for a good cause, she had thought she could handle it. Now, she realized what a fool she had been._

_Training began again soon after the small invasion of Leoans. The other military officers each stood by a post, steady and unsmiling, and overlooked the activities. Now that their friendly and caring commander was no longer around, they were finally able to be as harsh as they needed._

_On many occasions, Hikaru was asked to run the course countless times, sometimes forced to skip meals in order to comply. Her hands became even more rough and blistered, her feet constantly ached, and her body was not without many scratches. And there were new punishments. Ryou hadn't been dense enough to skip repercussions altogether – his men needed to learn the toughness of battle. But the whippings and the beatings were new and unknown. Cries of pain filled the campsite constantly, the government officials always finding something that a soldier had done wrong. And they were all expected to tough out the pain, to bear it in silence and to carry on as far as possible. She was finally starting to understand what war was like._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

It is late morning; she can tell that much from a musty and very tiny window on the prison wall. Although she had been kidnapped late in the night, the entire travel, imprisonment, and waiting has been long enough for the sun to rise once again.

She shifts slightly in her little cell, her backside aching from the hardness of the ground and walls, and her body stiff from her position. She is unused to such a condition, never having faced any form of physical discomfort in her luxurious life.

The cell is cold and, although she is very thankful for the coat she had thought to slip on before running out of her estate, it also does not change the fact that she is only wearing a thin robe underneath. She shivers, hunching her shoulders together in an attempt to warm herself with her own body heat. Her hair falls in front of her face in the process, some bangs coming loose from the hair clips that had been a present from her brother and irritating her forehead.

She crosses her eyes in order to glare at the offending strands. Their length causes them to tickle her nose, and she tries to wrinkle it to push them off. The action accidentally makes her brush her tongue against the rag in her mouth, and if she could recoil farther back into the wall in disgust, she would. She can see how dirty it is when she moves her eyes as far down as possible, and she gags as she tastes the sweat.

_'Ew, ew, ew...' _is the only thought going through her head at the moment, though subconsciously she realizes she is only trying to distract herself from her more pressing dilemma.

She does not know what is going to happen to her now. Aside from the poker-faced soldier who had come in to check on her, she has not had any visitors since she was dumped here unceremoniously, and bound and gagged.

She does hear voices every now and then; quick words and brief laughter from somewhere far away that always disappear as soon as they appear. But after her first attempt to attract help – when one of her captors had so coldly informed her that her next whimper could be her last – she has not tried calling attention to herself again.

It had been smart advice, she bregrudgingly admits. She knows nothing of her enemy except that they are brutal – a fact learned through television broadcasts and proven through her capture and confinement. Her luck has not been good so far and she does not wish to test fate, lest she per chance arouse the curiosity of a psychopath.

And so she sits in silence, occasionally feeling a sting in her eyes as she thinks of home and the warm bed she could be sleeping in had it not been for her nosiness.

How long would it be before anybody noticed her disappearance? Well through the night at least, as she had informed Atsuko-chan that she had every intention of drifting to sleep, and had encouraged her to do the same.

Or perhaps it would be sooner. Would her brother think to check in on her quietly as he had done when she had been a child after returning from his business dinner, and notice the empty covers? Or would he simply be too exhausted upon his return to think of anything but his own sleep, as had been the case so often recently? She feels fresh tears as she accepts that the latter is more probable.

However, her self-pity is soon cut off when she hears heavy footsteps heading her way quickly. Soon, she recognizes the jingling of the prison door being opened, and her heart lurches in fear. Is this it, then? Has her fate been decided, her death assured?

Perhaps the same stoic soldier with the chilling green eyes is here to lead her to the gallows, or however they execute people here. She does not think she could bear the thought of his uncaring eyes being the last thing she would see before the world went dark forever. She closes her eyes, lowering her head in defeat.

"Oh, for goodness sake! What have they done to you_?_!"

To her complete surprise, she hears an angry but decidedly feminine voice. Her eyes snap wide open, and she turns towards her prison's bars, where she meets another shock.

What she sees is not a cold-blooded soldier, but a petite female – a _well-off _petite female, if her fine robes are anything to go by. She has her hands on her hips as she peers down at her, a fierce scowl on her face, and a steady and irritated tap to her foot.

"Those imbeciles," she hisses under her breath. "Sorry about this. The Leoan army sure has some very moronic soldiers. I'll have them set straight."

And then, to the young prisoner's bewilderment but happiness, she pushes open the gate to her cell, strides over sudddenly, and begins untying the rag around her mouth. Oh, sweet Kami has sent her a gracious savior!

The minute the disgusting cloth leaves her lips, she begins gulping in clean air and licking her lips in an attempt to clean her tongue of the taste embedded upon it. And then she finally takes a closer look at her visitor.

"You're human."

It's the first thing that leaves her mouth, and she says it completely by accident. She does not even know how she had known, just that she can feel a very different aura emitting from the woman; different from the aliens that had kidnapped her in that it is more welcoming, radiating a kind of assurance and security that comes only from being with one's own kind, especially in foreign lands. She cringes when she sees the woman stiffen, pausing in her welcome task of unbinding her arms. She had not said it as an accusation, simply a statement, but the curious female sighs.

"Yes," she admits, finishing with the binds around her wrists and moving to her ankles. "You are certainly very perceptive."

"B-but, you're not a prisoner..." Orihime notes again. It is obvious with her glowing, healthy skin and extravagant threads. Though the clothing she adorns is simple, it is of a soft – she knows it is soft because it brushes against her skin frequently as the woman continues freeing her – and shiny material that can only be identified as silk. Her hair is tidy and clean, obviously washed and attented to regularly. Having lived the life of a royal for most of her own life, Orihime can notice the sign of luxurious living.

_'Like a royal...' _Her eyes widen into large, round circles at the sudden realization. "You're the queen," she breathes.

Her savor is very still by this point, her brow puckered in distress and her eyes holding a hint of...fear? Desperation?

"Yes," she whispers in confirmation, looking away from her. Already untied, Orihime watches her curiously, rubbing the red marks on her hands. "I'm the queen."

"B-but, you're human!" Alright, so that has already been established, but the shock of the discovery causes her brain to spiral. How could this woman betray her people this way? "How can you be the queen if...I mean, there were lots of rumors going around for a while about a Leoan king taking a human for a bride, but I thought they were just that – rumors. How would you have even met a -"

The royal cuts off her babbling by clearing her throat loudly.

"Let's not talk about this right now," she says, her voice steady once again, and sounding final. Her eyes then rove over her form, taking in her haggard state, and she looks at her in concern. "We should get you cleaned up."

She grabs her hand, and helps her stand, supporting her as she wobbles from the stiffness and ache in her knees. The orange top nods dumbly. Though still bursting with questions and slight mistrust, the thought of a nice, hot bath and fresh, clean clothes after the ordeal she has gone through shoves all her inquiries to the back of her mind.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_Anyone could tell that Hikaru had changed in the recent months. The young soldier, after the first few lashings from the officers, always performed his duties well and speedily, but without the zealous that had been present with Ryou as a friend._

_She was indeed just a shell now. Somehow, to her, Ryou had always been so dependable, always there. Which is why it hurt more now that he was gone. The thought of his death had never even crossed her mind, not with his flippant attitude about battles._

_"If you've seen one, you've seen them all," he used to say, waving an airy hand at her. "And if you've survived one, then you can obviously survive them all. You see my logic, little man?"_

_No, she hadn't seen the logic. But his confidence had made her trust that he would never be defeated._

_'You broke my trust, Ryou,' she had thought to herself while lying in the open field they had always gone to together. 'But I broke yours, too. Surprise, I'm actually a girl! I guess that's what we were – a couple of best friends who were never honest with one another.' The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth._

_And now that he was gone, she was beginning to realize how dangerous this war would be. If someone as wonderful and skillful in combat as Ryou could be incapacitated, that didn't hold any good news for how she would fare. The Leoans had many secrets and tricks up their sleeves still, and she had to be on guard at all times._

_Which is why Hikaru began devoting all of her time with her training. She woke up earlier than the others, ran the farthest during thier morning jogs, repeated the training courses twice, even when she was not asked to do so. She cut down on her food intake, knowing that she would not miraculously find a loaf of bread in the middle of the battlefield. Learning to adjust now was the smartest move._

_To the government issued military officials, she was an example. To the other trainees, she was an inspiration. To herslf, she was no longer recognizable. She was hardly the way she had been before her sudden loss; she remained silent whenever possible, ignoring conversations around her unless directly spoken to; she followed all of her orders carefully, no longer questioning her inregrity or dignity as her fiery spirit had made her do so often before._

_Each day simply became a hazy memory of battle tactics, plans, shootings, sparrings, saluting, complying, and generally holding her tongue. And through that fog, one memory really stood out the most clearly, because it was the one time she allowed herself the luxury of fighting back._

_She was ordered to gather the firewood for the evening campfire, and so she'd been scrounging the woods for twigs and branches. When she stepped back out, small bits of twigs clung to her clothing, but she had a rather large stack of kindling and fuel for the fire. Now all that was left was delivering it, and she was free for the day. Maybe she could squeeze in just one round through the training course..._

_"Give it back!"_

_She was snapped out of her musings by a loud, distressed outcry. It was soon followed by jeers._

_"Why don't you come up here and get it?"_

_She recognized the group. The boy jumping up and down was Tsubokura Rin, if she remebered correctly, and the one holding what looked like a strange blinking device high above her head and beyond Rin's reach was Sarugaki Hiyori, a violent woman from the town who liked to hang around the woods near the camp. She had amusement in her eyes as she watched the shorter man's ridiculous ponytail – why it was on the front of his head, she would never understand – flail during his attempts to reach whatever it was the more intimidating woman was holding hostage. Hiyori's strange friends were watching the show from not too far away, not bothering to intervene._

_"Please, Sarugaki-san," Rin begged, still standing on the tips of his toes. "That's really important and if it breaks -"_

_"You sayin' I'm not good enough to hold this?" the blonde woman demanded, though she looked more amused than offended. "Well, you've hurt my feelings, Rin-chan. And I believe in gettin' even."_

_She tightened her hold on the gizmo, obviously ready to crush it within her grip._

_"Stop!"_

_And to everyone's surprise, even Hikaru's, it was she that had spoken, not Rin. Said boy only looked at her with a helpless expression, the rest of his body frozen in its pose reaching for Hiyori's hand. Hikaru glared, a determination building within her. "He said it's important, so give it back."_

_"Why don't _you _make m -"_

_She didn't even get a chance to finish the taunt when Hikaru dropped all of her firewood and charged at her._

_"Ack! What the hell!"_

_Both women fell to the ground, and began rolling in the dirt, scratching and punching at one another and, in Hikaru's case, pulling at Hiyori's arm to grab the device from her hands. She could hear hooting from Hiyori's friends who were enjoying the show, and wailing from Rin, who was trying to dodge them and save himself from tripping, but she didn't care. She felt _great! _It had been too long since she had roughhoused like this._

_"Crazy bitch -"_

_"You're one to talk -"_

_"Get fuckin' off me!"_

_"Oi, oi! What's happenin' here_?_!"_

_Zaraki Kenpachi – pretty much the only likeable military official in the entire camp – stopped them, grabbing both by the scruff of their necks and lifting them off the ground, one in each hand. They simply dangled there, shooting viscious glares at one another and breathing heavily._

_"If you wanna fight this goddamn much," he growled, not bothering to look at them closely and check whether Hiyori was a soldier...or even male, "then save it for the sparrin' grounds."_

_And he dropped them both onto the ground, striding away as quickly as he had come, knowing no one would be idiotic enough to continue fighting after _he_ had intervened. Hiyori glared at both her and Rin before throwing the blinking gadget at their feet and heading back for the woods, her friends close behind. Hikaru glared at her retreating back._

_"U-um." She jumped at the sudden sound, and turned to see Rin looking at her shyly, his invention secure in his own grasp once again. "Thank you...for helping me."_

_She shook her head. "Don't mention it. Really. I did it because I wanted to, and she was in the wrong, anyway.__" Rin nodded before stumbling away uneasily at her fierce expression, but she had meant every word._

_If there was one thing she could not stand, it was someone picking on the weak and defenseless._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

The two walk briskly down a rather large hallway, passing door after door until she finally stops outside one and holds up a hand to indicate that the orange top do the same. Ruffling through the linings and sleeves of her robe, she finally produces a small, silver key, which she inserts into the door and then turns.

The door unlocks with a _click, _and once it swings open, it reveals a very grand bedroom, its contents consisting only of a canopy bed covered in white satin bedsheets, white curtains covering the doors to a balcony, and two bedside tables draped in white sheets. It gives a feel of emptiness, as if it has not been occupied in a long time, and the whole thing has always rather reminded Karin of a horror movie.

"Miss..."

"Orihime," the prisoner supplies, jumping slightly at the sudden noise. "Orihime Inoue."

"Miss Orihime," she begins again, "I will leave you here to bathe yourself. That door there leads into the lavatory. All the necessities you might require are inside. I will come check on you in a moment, after I have attended to some...business."

"Oh, of course," the young human sputters, and suddenly begins bowing. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, your Highness."

She grimaces at the behavior and speech, no doubt learned from watching fantasy movies back on Earth. She had felt the same way when she had first come to the planet, and the feeling had only intensified once she had been given a tour of the entire palace for the first time. Of course, with her new husband constantly pushing her up against a wall and ravishing her lips every five minutes, it hadn't taken very long for her to think of the large building as home.

"There is no need to bow," she says, and it sounds more like a command when she says it. "I am not your queen, and you are not my subject. Call me Karin."

Orihime nods, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"I'll lock this door from the outside, so no one gets inside until I come to find you."

And with that and an attempt at a comforting smile, she shuts the girl inside, leaving her to her own devices, locks the door, pockets her key, and resumes her brisk walk, heading for the throne room this time.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"Grimmjow," he sighs, rubbing his weary eyes for a second time as he turns towards the soldier awaiting punishment. "You've put me in a difficult position."

The blue haired soldiers grins widely, showing his teeth.

"I _knew _you didn't wanna punish me," he asserts.

"No, I do not," he confirms, pulling at the strand of white hair hanging over his forhead in slight agitation. Slight murmurs pass though the crowd consisting of the warrior's team, some in approval and some in disbelief. "But what you have done cannot be ignored."

"Only by your wife," he counters. The king glares at this.

"That does not mean _I _will condone it. Believe me when I say, Grimmjow, that a punishment _does _await you."

"Oh, come on," the soldier almost whines, "I just picked up a puny little human girl. Just put her back and this'll be done with."

"It's not that simple," Toushiro explains, sighing as he feels a slight migrane coming on from all these new and sudden complications. "We have already sent a request for peace from the countries we have retreated from, with a promise that no Leoan will set foot upon thier land during this time."

"So send her through the gate by herself," Grimmjow suggests, shrugging nonchalantly and folding his arms.

"You know as well as we do, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra surprisingly speaks up from among the team members, "that each gate requires a spell from the traveler to keep it stable during transport. No typical human without any talent for our dark magic can make it through alive."

"Well, then, good riddance." And the blue eyed man smiles menacingly, his teeth flashing. Toushiro growls slightly, rubbing his temples in an effort to soothe himself.

"Enough," he barks, calling attention back to himself. "Grimmjow, you have caused many problems and, therefore, must face the consequences. As your punishment, you must spend the next six months training the new recruits of the army. Your own duties as a soldier must then be made up after this time."

"That's it?" Grimmjow asks incredulously, his arms unfolding slightly in surprise. And then a large smirk covers his face. "Nice to know at least _one _of you royals is still on the Leoan side."

Toushiro only scowls at him.

"You're all dismissed."

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"And...?"

"And, that's it."

"What_?_! That's _it_? Toushiro, when I told you to take care of the mongrel, I meant dish out the worst punishment you could think of!" She actually throws up her hands in exasperation.

"This is the worst punishment for him," Toushiro explains, hoping against all hope that she falls for this. "With his wild spirit, training new and unexperienced recruits will cause agitation, and with his slacker tendencies, having to catch up on all his work afterwards will cause him great discomfort."

Her glare softens slightly.

"Fine," she grumbles. "If you say so."

She turns back to the files she has acquired from a maid and lain out across one of the tables set up against the wall of the throne room, shuffling through them. He breathes out in relief before twisting his arms around her waist from behind.

"My wife is such a firecracker." There is much amusement in his voice, and she chuckles, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"You wouldn't even know what a firecracker was if I had not told you."

"Mmm, nonetheless, since the moment I first learned of it, I immediately thought it resembled you."

"That's nice to know. Ne, Toushiro, do you think you could spare Rangiku for a few months' time?"

He looks at her in surprise, though mostly because of the abrupt change in topic, before his eyebrows scrunch in contemplation.

"Hmm, I would not mind. Something important?"

She bites her bottom lip as she throws some files aside, narrowing the stack of papers in her hand. "I was wondering whether she would not mind watching after our new guest during her stay."

"Ha, a chance to coddle and play with an actual human that does not bite in return?" They both smirk as they remember Karin's own less than perfect first meeting with the busty maid. "She would be ecstatic for the chance."

"Good, good," she mutters absentmindedly, throwing aside yet another pile of papers. He raises an eyebrow as he catches sight of the name of one of the soldiers he knows was once stationed on Earth.

"May I ask what you are doing?"

"Trying to find a suitable bodyguard for Miss Orihime. I cannot be by her side at all times, after all."

"I should think not; I would get terribly lonely." But his attempt at humor is half-hearted as he allows her to return to her diligent task, though his lips thin slightly and his brow remains arched. Her face suddenly lights up.

"Oh, this one is perfect! It might be slightly strange since he was part of the group of her captors, but he has a good reputation for following orders properly and efficiently, and is knowledgable about humans to a degree."

"Ulquiorra Cifer?" he reads over her shoulder. "The one who gave us the report on last night's events?"

"Mm-hmm. He had a rather detached and unfriendly air, in my opinion, but he shan't be there for company, only security. She'll have Rangiku for chatter, after all."

"Perhaps more than she wanted."

With a little less stress weighing on her, she actually laughs at the joke and twists to kiss his lips gently before breaking out of his grasp and running out.

"Toushi, would you please have a maid send Rangiku and Ulquiorra to guest room number three?" she yells over her shoulder.

And although he yells back a confirmation, his face is set in a deep frown.

* * *

**Edit: No one pointed out that I introduced Ikkaku as a Leoan in the first chapter ^^' I suddenly remembered, so I changed it to Hiyori, because she can be violent and hot-tempered.**

**Well, I wasn't planning on updating this one, but I sat down to work on my other stories, and inspiration for this channeled out instead. And I got to use the word _shan't_! I couldn't believe I hadn't used it yet, and it came to me randomly, so I was excited about that - yeah, you know there's something wrong with you when you're excited about diction and word choice ^^' Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**I'm sorry, guys and gals, but I'm really horrible at writing action, and I don't know much about the inner-workings of armies, so I won't be going into much detail about it. Also, as for the timeline, Orihime was captured at night, imprisoned in the morning at the time when Karin was feeling up Toushiro in his sleep ;), and waited in her cell during the time Hanatarou interrupted the royals in the throne room, and they interrogated Grimmjow. I thought I should clear that up now, just in case.**

**Also, some of you wondered whether Karin and Orihime would recognize each other, but remember? She's from a _Nordic _country in this story, not Japan, so they don't know one another. That's why she gave her first name first, when Karin asked. I chose Orihime because natives from Scandinavian countries usually have light hair (usually blonde) and with her light orange hair, I felt she was close enough.**


	9. Chapter 9

******Hello, everyone. I'm back! I had an absolutely wonderful vacation, and now I finally have access to a computer again :D I'm sure you've all been eagerly awaiting my return every single day for the past two weeks...yeah, I didn't think so...****Anyway, I don't know why I chose to update this story first, but the inspiration came easily, I guess.** Well, enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

Her fingers keep trembling as she unties her robe. After a few slips at the considerably loosened but still tied knot, she finally pulls it apart, letting it fall to the ground and exposing her body. After dragging the stool at the other end of the room closer to the bath, she reaches for a towel, draping it over the seat for easy access. Miss Karin had not been lying when she had said the room had everything she would require, for she finds a hair tie by the sink and gladly puts up her now twig-less hair in a bun at the top of her head, also reassuring that her bangs are held back by her favorite hairpins.

She turns off the rushing hot water of the bath she had left on as she had undressed, and then gingerly places one leg into the water. It reaches her knee, and she sighs in pleasure at the sudden warmth. After her long stay in the cold dungeon, the hot temperature of the water is welcome, and she enjoys the goosebumps crawling up her leg. Gingerly placing the opposite extremity in as well, she feels the heat travel up. After a few moments, she seats herself at the edge of the bath, submerging her chest and placing her head against the wall behind her.

All she sees is white, she notes. The ceiling, the walls, the bathtub, the basin – all are a pearl white color, and sparkling clean. She feels rather like she is a prisoner in an asylum. And the observation is certainly not far off from the truth.

She _is _a prisoner. Despite all the warmth the strange queen has shown her, she cannot bring herself to forget about the ordeal that has led to her current situation. The rough kidnapping, the gagging and restricting of her movements, the clanging of a prison door being shut, the cruel and uncaring eyes of stoic soldiers...All of these memories cause her to jumble her thoughts in her mind, and she wonders whether she is going insane.

For who would have ever thought that the younger sister of the most influential man in Finland could ever end up in such a situation? She certainly had never thought so. With the sheltered life she has lived, she has always thought she would forever remain protected under her brother's watch, living a life of forced happiness and submission, but at least a safe one.

_'At least I was never gagged at home,' _she thinks bitterly. Although home had not been very desirable, it certainly seems a better alternative than her current location. Although, the hot water _is _very soothing and comforting, she admits. She slides down more, and closes her eyes. In doing so, she blocks out her view of the unfamiliar bathroom, and it almost feels as if she is in her own home.

She reaches for the body wash lying in the shelf suspended on the wall nearby. After a slight moment of confusion in which she tries to decipher exactly _which _of the fifty bottles on the shelf are soap, she finally manages to procure a substance that is definitely meant to be used for the cleaning of one's body. She uncaps it and squeezes some out. Immediately, she smell of pears hits her. She breathes it in deeply, enjoying it, although it is very different from her own strawberry scented soap.

She scrubs her body roughly, wanting to wash away all the grime and dirt stuck to her after the previous night. To her disgust, the water in the tub begins to change color as it merges with the dirt. She stands, still soapy, stretches, and then unplugs the drain. When the dirty water has been washed away, she turns on the shower, scrubbing away the last of the soap bubbles clinging to her. Her hair gets wet in the process, but she decides she does not mind too much, as her locks had been dirty too.

She cups her hands together, letting the water pool into her palm, and then vigorously scrubs her face. When she finally turns off the water, she feels refreshed, and actually starts humming a tune as she wraps the towel on the stool around herself and unties her hair, shaking her head and letting it tumble down her back.

But when she steps out of the tub, she finally realizes the dilemma. She has no clean clothes to wear. The only thing within the room that will cover her body is the scanty towel currently wrapped around her and held up tightly by one of her hands, and the dirty and sweat stained robe she had previously worn.

"Now what?" she says in a whimper, and feels tears spring to her eyes. What else is going to go wrong today?

And yet, as if to negate her question, she hears a knock on the door.

"Yoo-hoo!" calls a cheerful voice on the other side of the door. "Miss Orihime, are you coming out, or do we have to break down the door and save you from drowning in a bathtub?"

It is a voice she does not recognize, though it obviously belongs to a woman. A _bubbly _woman at that. She finds herself trusting it, for it sounds so happy and carefree, and so she carefully steps across the room, not wanting to slip, and unlocks the door. Opening it just a crack, she peers out with one eye and, to her embarrassment, comes face-to-face with someone's cleavage.

"Wh-who are you?" she asks weakly, looking away from the sight and at the floor.

"Matsumoto Rangiku," she introduces herself happily. "I brought you something to wear."

A hand suddenly shoots out, startling Orihime as it shoves open the door. She stumbles back in surprise, her arms flailing, and the towel accidentally slips. With a blush, she scrambles for it, but Matsumoto reaches it first and grabs it away.

"You can't very well wear a towel all day," she says, laughingly. Ignoring the young girl's protests, she drapes it over her shoulder, but then holds out another piece of fabric. "A kimono for you! You can change into this."

On her way out, she also grabs the discarded robe on the floor, and then slams the door shut behind her.

Orihime just stands their in a daze for a moment, clutching the cloth to herself with both hands. What...just happened? It was so sudden and frenzied. All she can really recall is a rather large and bouncing bust and a head of fiery locks much like her own, and nothing much else. She blushes furiously as she realizes a stranger just saw her naked.

_'At least it was a woman,' _she attempts to calm herself as she hurriedly slips her arms through the very simple kimono, tying the sash around herself like she had her robe, and then rushing out the bathroom door.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

He yawns widely, stretching as he sits up in bed, and then sighs happily.

His dinner meeting the previous night had gone amazignly well, and he is sure that he is soon to acquire another business partner to expand the branches of his company. Of course, he feels terrible for having missed his dinner with his sister, but with less burdens on his shoulder after his conference yesterday, he is already planning to treat her especially today to a restaurant even more expensive than the one they had planned on originally.

Humming, he heads into the shower, and when he steps out to dress, he is still singing. Dressed in a pressed suit a maid had lain out for him the night before, he heads downstairs to breakfast, fastening the buttons of his cuffs as he walks down the steps. He leaves his door open to allow the cleaning maid easy access to his room.

"What are we having for breakfast today?" he asks one of the workers as he seats himself at the dining table. In response, she happily lays down a full and steaming plate in front of him, and he eyes the scrumptious looking meal in delight. Before he can dig in, however, he notices the absence of someone very important.

"Where is Orihime?" he asks, finding it strange that she has slept in when she usually awakens so early.

"Atsuko-chan is looking into her," a worker answers. "Apparently she went to bed late last night, so we decided not to disturb her and let her sleep in."

He nods in approval, hoping that his little sister has gotten the proper rest she requires. He is going to make sure that today is packed with fun and attention lavished only on her to make up for the previous night – he knows how much she had been looking forward to it. Perhaps he could even convince the cook to let her use the kitchen for today...

_"Orihime-sama!" _

A horrible screech suddenly echoes around the house, ripping through the silence and startling several of the workers, but none more so than him. He is on his feet in an instant, racing through the halls clumsily, almost tripping over carpets and furniture in his haste. When he makes it to his little sister's room, his heart beating twice as fast in his ears and his stomach clenched in fear, there is a young maid standing in the open doorway, her hands clapped against her cheeks and her face twisted in horror.

"What is it?" he demands, grabbing one of her wrists and turning the startled maid to face him forcibly. "What's wrong?"

"O-Orihime-sama," she chokes out through her sobs. Even taking a few deep gulps of breaths does not calm her, only making her shudder twice as much as more tears stream down her face.

"What about her?" He licks his lips quickly.

"She's...she's gone!" His stomach drops, his legs turn into jelly.

"What do you mean _gone?_" he asks, peering into her room and taking in the sight. The entire room is spotless, the bed made and looking as if it has not been slept in. The only thing strange is the closet, because the doors of it are hanging ajar.

"I've looked everywhere!" Atsuko cries. "She's _nowhere, _and none of the other maids have seen her."

The other workers bustle into the hallway, curious about the commotion and watching him intently for an explanation. He turns to them, wide-eyed and fearful.

"Call the police."

**.. ****ღ ****..**

Grimmjow is completely _smug _when they leave the throne room, his smirk prominent on his face and his shoulders squared as he walks. He finds it irritating, especially as he had been slightly hopeful at the idea of the violent and brutish soldier getting punished for his foolishness.

"At least the king still knows what he's doing," the pleased soldier says to his teammates. "We can't be all wishy-washy with all of those humans, or they'll think we're wimps. I've been telling y'all that for _months _and it's good to know at least _one_ royal agrees."

"Oh, shut up, Grimmjow," Nnoitra finally growls, much to Ulquiorra's pleasure. "So ya got off easy. You still gotta mess around with twerpy little rookies."

"No sweat," Grimmjow answered, grinning his usual maniacal grin. "I heard some brats from my village'll be a part of the new recruits. Shawlong, Edrad, Yylfortdt, Nakeem,and Di Roy – they hero worship me. All I gotta do is sit back and let 'em do all my work."

Starrk makes a very strange noise at the back of his throat that sounds suspiciously like admiration. Ulquiorra, however, masks his disgust underneath his stoic expression. Deliberately weaseling around a direct punishment from the king - it is entirely the type of thing he has always associated with insubordinate trash like Grimmjow. How could Aizen-sama ever have thought they belonged in the same team, all those years ago when their previous king had ruled over the army? _He w_ould never disobey a direct order, no matter how much his own personal feelings clashed with it.

"Ulquiorra-san?"

The team halts in their tracks, swerving to find themselves facing a bowing woman clothed in the dress of a maid. When she stands, her eyes travel across each of their faces, trying to pinpoint her target.

"One of you is Ulquiorra-san, yes?" she questions. The green eyed soldier simply steps forward, indicating that he is the one she is looking for. She inclines her head at him. "His Highness Hitsugaya-sama has requested that you meet the queen in guest room number three immediately."

"For what?" he demands to know.

"I am sorry, but I do not know why. Her Highness Karin-sama will answer you. Your presence is requested urgently."

He is not one to grumble, so he strides away wordlessly, back towards the direction of the palace he had just exited. The maid scurries after him, also intending to return to her duties, and tries to stifle her laughter with her hand at the moronic calls of "Oooh! Ulqui's in trouble!" coming from his idiotic team from behind, which he ignores. She shows him to the room, bows deeply, and then rushes away once her task has been completed.

He notes the location. Guest room number three is no doubt the closest room for visitors to the king and queen's own room and, as he remembers the queen's frazzled reaction to the imprisonment of a human, he begins to suspect the reason for his presence. He gives three knocks, waiting for permission from the queen herself to be allowed entry.

"Enter," he hears from inside, and so he obeys.

Closing the door carefully behind him, he takes in the scene. Karin-sama, who is seated neatly on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and her arms clasped on her knees, nods over at him in gratitude for his quick arrival. He spots an unfamiliar maid standing next to a second door, holding a light pink fabric in her hands. The curvy woman notices his gaze, and beams over at him. He simply turns his attention to the door, where he can hear splashing noises coming from inside. Once again, assessing the impatient and waiting postures of the two females and the absence of one orange haired human, he can only deduce that the prisoner is inside, most likely bathing herself in a bathroom while the others outside wait for her to finish.

"As both of you are aware," Karin-sama speaks up, addressing him and the maid, "we have picked up a new guest as of late. I expect her to have the best treatment, because she is a very important visitor to this palace. She is human."

The maid gasps, clapping a hand to her mouth at the news. He only waits for her to continue, already aware of this information and assuming she is only repeating it for the maid's benefit.

"She has introduced herself as Miss Orihime Inoue," the queen informs them. "I want her secure and happy during her stay while we, the council, discuss on the best course of action to take to ensure her safe return. As this is a delicate matter, at this time, both the king and I are unsure of the length of her visit, which is why certain precautions must be taken."

"Well, of course!" the maid speaks out. Ulquiorra resists the urge to clap his hands over his ears at the grating noise. "The poor thing. What do you need, Karin-sama?"

The queen smiles over at her gratefully.

"Thank you, Rangiku. I am counting on the two of you for the next few months, perhaps longer. Miss Orihime will need security and company during her stay to ensure that she is comfortable and unharmed. Although I would prefer that I could say she has no need for guards, Serra Leoa is not a safe place for humans, especially one who wanders alone."

"Yay!" Rangiku cries, looking excited and giggling. "This'll be so much fun!"

Karin-sama rolls her eyes, although she looks more amused than anything. He can only infer that she and the maid have some sort of close relationship, because no other maid would dare to speak out so easily in the presence of a royal or slur their speech with contractions and slang.

"I know that you will take good care of her, Rangiku," the ruler says, softly. "She will need assistance in this foreign place. Your maid quarters are close by, which is a relief. When you show her around, please make sure she knows where you are staying so she can find you should the need ever arise. This shan't be any different than your attending to Toushiro for so many years of his childhood."

Rangiku bobs her head happily, her smile wide and anticipating. Karin-sama stands, crossing her arms. She turns to him second, eyeing him carefully, assessing his stance and serious face. Perhaps she likes something within him, something disciplined and loyal and determined, because when she finishes her analysis, she seems relieved.

"Ulquiorra, I would prefer that you move closer to Miss Orihime," she orders. "I will have a maid prepare a room for you somewhere close to this one where she will be staying, and another will come to your quarters and bring you to your new room. Please be packed by tomorrow evening." Leaving no time for arguments, though he hardly would have spoken out despite the desire to, she addresses them both again. "There is no need to watch over her every second, as there will be moments when I ensure that she is in the presence of myself or other secure persons, but I would prefer she not be alone for too long. You both understand the values and cultures of Leoans."

The atmosphere turns serious in that moment, all three thinking of the long believed idea that humans are an unneeded hindrance to existence, and the harshness and brutality of many Leoans towards them still.

His thoughts then turn to his task, and he begins to understand the queen's worry. From the short moment he has known her and the even fewer interactions he has had with her, he already realizes that Miss Orihime is a very naive woman, too weak and vulnerable to care for herself. He remembers when Grimmjow had first grabbed her from the bushes, when it had seemed that her wrist might snap so easily from his hold. Images of her beaten and frightened in the jail cell plague his mind next, and he cannot help but wonder the kind of reactions she will have to the hostile environments in Leoan villages. No doubt she will constantly need his protection.

How troublesome.

The sounds of running water and splashes are suddenly gone then, and all three occupants face the bathroom door. Rangiku reaches over and knocks on the wood.

"Yoo-hoo!" she calls – very loudly, in his opinion. "Miss Orihime, are you coming out, or do we have to break down the door and save you from drowning in a bathtub?" At this, she throws him an amused look, as if expecting laughter, but he simply gazes back blankly, only waiting for the answer to come. Looking miffed, Rangiku turns back around just in time for the door to open.

He watches in cool indifference as a single eye peeks out cautiously through a very small crack. It quickly flits down to look at the ground, and he can only assume that she feels embarrassed by the maid's ignorance at the clear view of her bust. How strange. As he recalls, did she not have a rather large chest herself? Feeling shy at such a thing should hardly be plausible. He knows some soldiers such as Grimmjow or Nnoitra have no problem strutting through changing areas without so much as a towel to cover themselves, always pleased with their own bodies, and yet none of the other men ever feel the need to comment or feel discomfort.

This Miss Orihime is no doubt not only physically weak, but mentally as well.

He snaps out of his thoughts as he hears a loud _bang, _and when he looks up, it is to see Rangiku shoving open the door to allow herself entry, and Miss Orihime stumbling backwards, not a scrap of cloth covering her figure. He takes this instant to rove his eyes over her, always critical.

She is just as he remembers, albeit a bit more cleaner after her washing. He discovers that, yes, his recollection had been correct and she did have a rather large chest. Then he takes note that the rest of her is not blessed with the same bulk and size. Her entire frame is very skinny and lean, giving the impression that she could fall over very easily at the slightest gust of wind. Her face seems small and timid, one of someone vulnerable and easily overtaken – the type of face to attract attackers. And, although there is no excess fat to indicate a previously unhealthy diet, there is also not much muscle covering her to give her strength, either.

He quickly calculates that all this means twice the work for him, as anything as simple as menial tasks could cause her injury.

Though he is not usually one for sarcasm, _terrific_.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

She finds the blush on Miss Orihime's face when she exits wickedly amusing. She had expected this, because when one meets Matsumoto Rangiku for the first time, it always either ends in shock or embarrassment. Miss Orihime looks as if she is suffering from both.

At least she no longer looks like a cowering mouse covered in mud. Actually, once her skin has been cleaned, Karin can see very clearly that she is actually a very pretty woman, with a very eye-catching figure. Of course, she has no need for worry, as she has no doubt that her Toushiro's eyes have never once strayed from her in the presence of another female.

"Feeling better?" she asks, patting the bed to ask her to sit and then taking a seat herself. Orihime does not answer, and she watches with curiosity as the young human eyes her surroundings apprehensively. At first, there is only an expected interest as she takes in the simple decor of the room she will be staying in, followed by a laughable sprinkle of red on her cheeks as she notices Rangiku in the corner, folding the towel and robe she had confiscated. More accurately, she seems confused by her presence at first glance, only realizing who she is by the display of cleavage hanging out of her uniform. Matsumoto, of course, has always been pleased by her identifier.

But then, curiously enough, all movement stops and her breath hitches in her throat, her eyes suddenly fixated on only one thing in the room, though not with interest, but almost...alarm. She follows her gaze, afraid of what she will see, and finds her staring at an uninterested Ulquiorra gazing off in the distance, unaware of their stares.

She carefully calculates Orihime's reaction, taking in the widened eyes and the openly gaping mouth. Her small eyebrows gently furrow and, after a moment, she begings chewing on her lips, obviously trying to control her emotions as her gaze shifts to the folded hands in her lap. She begings playing with her fingers, picking at her fingernails or rubbing her arms as if she is cold. She makes a strange movement with her head, and Karin realizes she is trying to swallow a think lump in her throat slowly, so as not to attract attention to the action.

Perhaps Ulquiorra had not been the best choice after all. But there is no turning back now.

"This is Ulquiorra," she introduces, and Orihime jumps at the sudden noise. The stoic soldier looks over as well at the mention of his name. "He's going to be your...bodyguard, of sorts. You have no need to worry with him here, as he has a reputation for being an excellent worker, and I am confident he will keep you safe."

"Oh, um, nice to meet you...I guess," Orihime stutters, not even making eye contact with him but rather looking at her hands again. Ulquiorra nods sharply once, and then returns to his cool, detached air.

"And you've already met Rangiku," she continues, a smile playing on her lips this time.

"Hi, hi!" the maid bursts out, abandoning her post by the bathroom door to bounce over to them happily.

"Rangiku will be here to take care of anything you might need during you stay -"

"So don't be shy to ask!" Rangiku adds. "Oh, we'll be such great friends. I _just know_ it!"

Orihime chuckles weakly at her rather overbearing personality, but she seems pleased all the same to have such an accepting friend here. Karin grins at their interaction, glad she had made the right choice for a maid, at least.

A knock in the doorway interrupts them then, and they find that Toushiro is standing in the doorway, surveying the scene. Ulquiorra immediately snaps out of his stance and bows deeply in respect. He is the only one. Rangiku ignores him and goes back to attempting to engage Orihime in a conversation, who seems confused by the entrance of such a serious and regal figure. It doesn't take long for her to note Ulquiorra's posture and then gasp.

"You're the king," she breathes, and then begins scrambling furiously to stand and bow. Karin grimaces while Rangiku rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," she deadpans, waving an airy hand. "Big deal. Stick around for a while and you'll see enough of him for a lifetime."

Orihime gapes in shock at her bold attitude, Ulquiorra glares while still retaining his bow, but Karin simply laughs, used to the maid's careless attitude towards them. Toushiro simply does not react.

"Come on," she addresses Orihime, waving her over. "Let me introduce you. Rangiku, Ulquiorra, you two can go for today, and Ulquiorra, please make sure you are ready for your move tomorrow."

The two leave the room, the soldier acting rigid and respectful, the maid always bouncy and flippant. They make quite a pair heading down the hallway together. Meanwhile, the other two head over to the doorway, where the king awaits them.

"Miss Orihime, this is my husband, Toushiro Hitsugaya," she introduces proudly, using the more western form of giving one's name so as not to cause confusion. "And Toushiro, well, vice versa."

"I-It's an honor to meet you, your Highness," the girl replies, bowing clumsily, unused to the action as she had always been the one bowed to. Karin easily catches her arm and pulls her back up.

"I've already _told _you that we are not your rulers," she scolds. "There is no need to bow to us. Right, Toushiro?"

The king only stares at Orihime, his eyes cold and calculating, watching her actions with an indifference. When he hears his wife address him, his gaze slowly shifts to her before he nods carefully. Karin rolls her eyes, slapping his arm.

"Do not let that bother you," she assures a flustered Orihime. "He is like that with everyone, but he means well." There is no answer to this from the king, but the flame haired human nods uneasily. "Do you see what you've done, Toush?" she playfully reprimands him. "You've made her uncomfortable."

"...I apologize," he mutters. "That was not my intention." Karin sees the surprised look on her face, probably because of the deepness and smoothness of his voice. She, herself, had always expected him to have a more rough voice to match his scowling face. Of course, she is not complaining – her husband has the most beautiful voice she has ever heard, always managing to give her sensual shivers.

"O-Oh, of course not," Orihime exclaims, waving her hands in front of her quickly. "I'm sorry I came across that way, Sir Toushiro."

Karin raises her eyerows but doesn't say anything.

"Well," he continues, "it was very, ah, nice to meet your acquaintance, Miss Orihime. I hope you...enjoy your stay." He turns to Karin next, and his face softens slightly. "I will see you at dinner?"

She nods happily.

"Uh huh." She stands on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek lightly, enjoying it immensely and resisting the urge to pull in his lips passionately, because he has not had a chance to shave yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Orihime look away, blushing once again. Karin finds it highly amusing how shy the girl can be at times. She remembers that Ulquiorra had mentioned back in the throne room that she had resisted her capture, even when faced against someone as intimidating as Grimmjow and his team. She cannot wait to see that fiery side of the girl, when she adjusts to the thought of her extended stay in the palace.

Toushiro exits, not sparing a second glance towards Orihime, but Karin still waves after him cheerfully.

"Well, that was my _wonderful _husband," she exclaims, chuckling. "You'll see him again at dinner. Of course, you'll be dining with us."

"Oh." Orihime bites her bottom lip, opening her arms wider and looking down at the plain kimono she is wearing. "Do I need to change into something more -"

"No need," Karin responds, shaking her head. "I have never been one for formalities, so our dinners are never formal affairs. What you are wearing is fine. Although, we might want to do something about the rat's nest on your head."

She laughs at Orihime's embarrassment as she tilts her head and eyes up to get a better look at her tangled and dripping wet hair. And she had met the king this way! Karin grabs her arm, dragging her back over to the bed and forcibly pushing her down to sit. Taking a seat behind her, she reaches over and grabs something from on top of the dresser.

"I had Rangiku bring me a hairbrush," she says. Slowly, she begins running the teeth of it against the girl's unruly hair, careful not to pull too hard and hurt her. "We should fix you up now, before you begin walking around the palace."

"P-Please, Miss Karin," she stutters in return. "You have already done so much for me. There is no need for you to -"

"Nonsense," she cuts off. "I am perfectly capable of this. And you cannot very well walk around like this for the entirety of the day."

Orihime relents, settling down a little more easily and enjoying the soothing strokes of the brush and Karin's surprisingly gentle hands - well, at least that's what Toushiro has always said during their nights together.

"I hope this is not too tiring," she frets aloud. "My hair is rather long."

Karin shakes her head to negate the worry.

"I used to have long hair once," she explains, continuing with the slow strokes of the brush. "My sister made me keep it, always claiming it made me look more..._pretty._" She can _hear_ the grimace on her face through the disbelieving tone in her own voice, and she assumes that Orihime can too, by her giggle. "I always thought it a nuisance, however. It was a relief when I finally had it shortened. It was very...convenient."

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_The bell rang, signifying a customer had entered the shop as the front door slammed open. All of the employees and customers jumped in fright at the sudden commotion before swerving towards the reason. A young girl with raven hair and an irritated scowl on her face, not looking any older than sixteen, stood at the entrance, her hand still holding open the front door as she surveyed the scene._

"_Anyone free?" she grumbled._

_A sigh of relief went through the group as they realized she had come as a customer. They all went back to their tasks, busying themselves. A tall woman in high heels and a curly do on top of her head rushed towards the front door._

"_Welcome," she chirped. The girl surveyed her from under her cap with narrowed eyes."I'm free, so I can take you."_

_The girl nodded._

"_Great," she replied, though her annoyed expression said otherwise. "Name's Karin, and I need a haircut, obviously. Make it quick."_

_The bubbly woman nodded, forcing down her aggravation. She held up her hand and waved it, indicating the newcomer follow her._

"_Come on. My seat's at the back."_

_The two headed across the room, her humming and the girl silent, her hands in her pocket. When they reached her station, she swirled the chair around, patting it._

"_Take a seat," she ordered. "I'll get my things ready."_

_She headed back to the supply room in the back to get clean equipment, leaving Karin to settle herself in. When she returned, the girl had taken off her red cap and set it at the counter. Her hair was actually long, below her shoulders already but very unruly and uncared for, and it was a very plain style, simply hanging over her ears. Already the hairdresser started imagining all sorts of wonderful new hairdos, with elaborate curls and bangs and layers. She could make the young girl look so pretty._

"_Ready?" she asked. Karin did not reply, but just sat there and waited. "Alright then." She awkwardly reached for the plastic cover and threw it over the girl's frame, holding it together with the Velcro sticker on the back. When she finally touched Karin's hair though, she was surprised._

_It was so wonderfully soft! She grinned at the feel of it, liking the way it ran through her fingers so easily. It had been a while since she had had a customer who had not completely damaged and roughened up their hair with chemicals. With an excited gleam in her eyes, she reached for a spray bottle of water and a comb._

"_Did you have a specific style in mind?" she asked excitedly as she readied the bottle to wet her head._

"_Yeah," Karin replied, looking at her seriously through the mirror. "Gimme a buzz cut."_

_She was taken aback, and actually did a double take._

"_What? B-but, your hair is so soft and nice. It would be such a shame to -"_

"_I_ said_ I wanted a buzz cut!" Karin boomed with a deeper scowl, making her jump in shock. "And make it snappy, would you? I have important things to do. I can't just hang around here all day."_

"_Uh, o-okay."_

_Dropping the comb and spray bottle on the couch, she slowly reached for her hair again. It was a little flat from the cap, which would make the cutting more difficult, so she wove her fingers through the strands, trying to give it more volume. Then, rather than grab the bottle and comb again as she usually did for female customers, she instead grabbed a razor, plugging it in quickly and turning it on. The buzzing sound cut through the entire store, though nobody paid much mind. After all, this was a barber shop._

_The hairdresser gulped, carefully and sadly placing the razor against Karin's forehead and moving the blade back, shaving off a portion. The strands slowly fell off, drifting to the cover over Karin's body and then sliding to the floor. Repeating the action until the entire forehead was cut, she moved onto the sides, which she shaved up just as steadily. Soon, as she trimmed the neck and edges, they found themselves surrounded by piles of black hair no longer resting on Karin's head._

"_I'm done," the hairdresser muttered sadly, untying the Velcro cover and allowing Karin to stand. The young girl eyed herself, turning her head side to side to view each angle for any missed portion. When she found none, she grabbed her red cap and slipped it back on. The change was miraculous. Before, though her rough personality came through nicely, the long hair actually made her face seem smaller and petite, like an actual growing woman. And now, her entire frame seemed wider, strongly built, more handsome than beautiful._

"_Looks great," Karin complimented with approval. She jammed her fist into the pockets of her shorts and fished out some cash to pay for the cut._

_The woman accepted it slowly, still staring at her head with narrowed eyes and puckered lips. Reaching for a broom, she began sweeping up the discarded hair, watching as Karin strutted out, the door ringing once again as it opened to allow her to exit. She could not help but think of the haircut regretfully as a waste of wonderful hair. What kind of girl asked for a buzz cut, anyway? She could tell by her dirty attire that she was a tomboy, but that didn't mean she had to murder her locks._

_But Karin's face through the shop window was carefully controlled. She did not look bothered in the least, only strangely determined._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

Only two police officers are sent over to answer to the frenzied call. The two elder gentlemen seem very uninterested in the story, not even jotting down any notes as he explains that he last saw his sister the previous evening, and discovered her bed empty and untouched this morning. The maids stand around the front entrance, waiting to know if they would be asked any questions, but the men pay them no mind.

"Listen, kid," one of them grunts as he finishes. "For all we know, the girl could have just run away."

He grits his teeth in aggravation.

"She wouldn't just _run away,_" he argues. "I know my sister."

"Regardless," the other speaks up, "she hasn't been gone long enough to be classified as a missing person in our directory."

"So you're not going to do _anything?_" he demands, hotly. Don't these two know who he _is? _With all of his wealth and influence, _this _is the best the police department will do for him?

"Nothing we _can do_," one answers. "If she's still missing by tomorrow, then call the police station again and we'll see if we can spare anyone to take the...case. Though she'll probably come back by tonight at the earliest. The city's tough out there, espeically for runaways -"

"She _didn't run away,_" he insists.

"Umm, actually," someone speaks up timidly from behind. They all turn to see a blushing maid stepping out from the crowd. "I-I saw Orihime-sama running out of the house really late last night when I was heading to bed." They all watch her closely, and she blushes a little more heavily, embarrassed by the attention. "I didn't think it was my place to say anything, but..."

"What?" he asks, perhaps a bit more harshly than he intends as this new information sinks in. His precious little sister, a runaway? The thought has never crosssed his mind, as he does everything in his power to give her anything she wants and keep her happy. In the few times he has seen her this month, she has never seemed troubled.

"Well, she didn't return," the maid explains, cowering slightly under his glare. "I didn't exactly wait for her as it was not my business to keep track of my mistress, but the front door did not open again and, as I was heading to bed, I didn't see her in the gardens from out my window, either."

The two police officers seem amused and even a little smug that their own interpretations of the incident had been correct.

"See? It was all just a misunderstanding. I'm sure your sister'll be back in a jiffy -"

"Although," the maid cuts them off. She pauses, cupping her chin and looking slightly thoughtful, "I _did _see something rather strange out of my window. Right before I went to bed, so I don't know if this is completely accurate as I was half asleep..." She trails off, biting her lip. He nods over to her, encouraging her to continue, afraid for his sister and wanting every single detail of the previous night. "I saw...well, it could have been from anything, but I don't know what could have made such a sight when this house is so isolated...It looked like a very strange, glowing, green light."

She blushes again after her admittance, perhaps thinking that her observation only sounds silly. But he catches the serious expressions on the faces of the police officers – the two glance over at one another with furrowed eyebrows, their shoulders tense.

"What?" he wants to know, but they ignore him, instead choosing to have a vague conversation with one another.

"It couldn't be – all the way out here?"

"Well, there have been reports, though no one ever found..."

"What would they want with a human girl...?"

"...Hostage?"

It is this last word that makes him nauseous, makes his head spin with all the dangerous possibilities for a timid girl such a Orihime out in the world alone, makes him grab one of the cops roughly by the shoulders.

_"What?"_ he asks again, more rough and urgent.

The man seems uncomfortable, brushing off his hands and exchanging anxious looks with his partner.

"Well, we don't wanna worry you," he begins, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "but, recently, there's only one reason why someone would see a green light in the middle of nowhere..."

* * *

**I had the most fun writing Orihime and Matsumoto's first meeting ^^ I don't know, it was just easy to picture in my mind and just as hectic as I would imagine a meeting with Matsumoto to be. What did you guys think? And it seems Ulquiorra isn't exactly flattering Orihime in his mind, huh? I can't wait to prove him wrong. But, trust him to be one of the only guys to see her naked and only use that moment to analyze her weaknesses rather than lust after her ^^' I wonder how different it would have been if it had been Grimmjow or Nnoitra instead...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_You're doing splendidly, Hitsugaya-sama," Ishida complimented the young prince. The boy smirked up at him._

"_Can we move onto the next spell, Ishida-sensei?" he asked, slight excitement in his tone._

_His teacher smirked at his enthusiasm. The crown Prince was always a delight to teach. He picked up on spells so quickly that it was difficult to believe he was so young. So many masters had problems with the most advanced magic, and yet he seemed to be willing to take on any challenge, and mastered it so very easily. The young child was really a rare prodigy._

_In fact, the two had coursed through the year's curriculum so quickly that now the tutor had no choice but to look up new spells, one far beyond what anyone his age should be taught. Hitsugaya always worked so tediously with his lessons that it made teaching him worthwhile._

_Which was why he could never understand why the boy absolutely _insisted _that his tutors make up fake complaints for the king. Though he had acted out when younger, he was very well-behaved and disciplined now. But he asked all of his teachers to please tell his stepfather that he was still a nuisance. They never quite understood why, but he seemed so desperate for them to do so that they did. In reality, teaching him was very joyful._

"_Of course," Ishida answered him. Looking down at the lesson plan in his hand, he read off the list. "It's amazing how much you've learned in just these last few months. You've mastered the communication spell, the traveling spell, lock-picking, stunning, offensive attacks, putting someone to sleep...Soon, I will have nothing to teach you."_

"_There's _always _something new to learn," Toushiro replied, shaking his head. "I just have to find it. Until then, I'll practice what I know. You never know when it might come in use."_

**.. ღ ..**

"_I had a feeling you'd be back."_

_He scowled at the smug tone embedded within the prisoner's comment. The man was gazing at him through the cell bars, a smirk planted on his face as he eyed first his face, and then the small basket hanging off of his arm. His face lit up only slightly as he put two and two together._

"_And, hey! You brought food!" he called out, cheerfully. "Didn't think you would, but I 'ppreciate it all the same."_

_Toushiro awkwardly patted the basket, nodding. He wasn't exactly sure what had compelled him to bring this stranger – an _enemy, _at that – what he had asked for, but he felt rather intrigued by him and his race, so he assumed that played a part. He wanted him healthy enough to converse with._

_And a small part of him felt rather sickened as he took in his state. Actually, not just the state of him, but his prison, too. He had always been aware since young that the palace kept a secret jail buried deep within its halls – a secret common Leoans were kept unaware of, lest they begin to feel any empathy for the prisoners. The government constantly allowed the citizens to believe that all captives were held within the army bases, under surveillance and questioning. But those captured that were not used for the show were treated brutally, and within the walls of the royalty's own home._

_He gingerly took in the dirty walls, each dripping with grime and filth. The floors, as well, were in a similar state, with mud tracked across them from visitors and prisoners. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and the only light source was a dingy bulb hanging down from the ceiling beside him – no cell held a bulb of its own, shrouding the entire area with darkness and mystery. He knew that some of the earlier prisons had been provided with windows to capture daylight, but the prisoner within his sight had not been provided with that luxury. Neither had the cells surrounding his – as one walked farther down the path of the prison area, the darker the room became._

"_Hey, Prince," the prisoner called out to him. He eyed the man carefully. "How're you gonna give me the food? You have a key?"_

_Toushiro blinked rapidly, slowly looking down at himself in thought. He had forgotten a key. Well, to be fair, he had never actually thought to _bring _a key, as one would be exceedingly difficult to come across or, even worse, acquire._

"_No, I do not have a key," he replied. "Only guards are given access to a key, as prisoners are their responsibility."_

_'But you're the prince, aren't you?" the prisoner questioned incredulously. "Don't you at least get access to the palace?" He felt his ears heat up with irritation._

"_I have not inherited the kingdom _yet_," he answered, frostily, not liking that a prisoner was undermining his authority. The captive nodded slowly in acceptance, his eyebrows puckered in thought._

_Toushiro, too, had an idea forming in his head. It was something he would never have thought he would do for simple human trash, yet he had gone through the efforts of bringing the food, and so he decided that he might as well feed the boy. Leaning back, he stealthily looked to his left and right, making sure no others would witness what he was about to do. Satisfied that they were quite isolated, he set the basket of food on the ground, flexing his hands as he straightened. The prisoner eyed him warily._

"_What're you doing?" he asked in bemusement._

"_Something far below my status," he snapped. "Be grateful."_

_Placing his hands against the prison lock, he puckered his brows in intense concentration. A familiar green light emitted from his hands, and the prisoner watched with raised eyebrows as the lock, very _slowly, _turned, unlocking on its own._

"_Lock picking spell," Toushiro muttered under his breath as he set his arms down again. "Thanks, Ishida-sensei."_

_Very reserved, he picked up the basket and swung open the cell door._

"_Nice work," the prisoner complimented him, looking rather impressed. "Guess the Prince isn't as useless as I always thought he would be."_

_He glared, not really liking the backhanded compliment. The human had no right to judge him before they had even met. The idea of his kind laughing at him in ignorance sent his blood boiling. Well, he knew of some nasty rumors about humans, too, so at least they were even._

"_Here," he growled, and dropped the basket inches from his bent legs. The boy looked up at him incredulously, first looking at his hands tied behind his back, then at him._

"_What do you want me to do with that?" he asked. "I'm not a monkey. I can't hold a banana with my foot, or some shit like that."_

"_What do you want _me _to do about it?" Toushiro asked in return, looking at him with a glare._

"_Feed me," he answered simply, and opened him mouth. "Aah..."_

_Hitsugaya flushed. "No! My job was to bring you food, and I've brought it. That in itself should make you exceedingly grateful, so do not ask for anymore favors."_

"_Don't be such a lazy bum!" the prisoner argued. "All you gotta do is sit there and move your arm back and forth!"_

"_Insulting me with such vulgar language is not going to get you what you want," he snapped. Even so, he flopped down, crossed his legs, and started picking through the food in the basket. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the prisoner beam at him, and couldn't help but feel heat creep up his cheeks. He hadn't realized such a simple action on his part could make someone so happy with him. It kind of felt good._

"_Here," he said roughly, thrusting a roll of bread at his lips. It hit his mouth rather harshly, but he didn't complain, and only opened his mouth to chomp down on it. The cell was silent aside from his chewing and Toushiro's rustling through the basket. They got through the bread, a banana, a piece of mutton, and a capped off cup of water, and the prisoner sighed in relief when he was done._

"_I love you for being a prince," he hummed with happiness. "I haven't had meat or fresh fruit in forever! Do you know the peasants and prisoners practically eat garbage food every day?"_

_Toushiro only looked away, a little uncomfortable. He was aware that there were many in his country and planet that lived in poverty every day; Serra Leoa was far from perfect, and it went through its hardships of being poor and hungry and disease ridden. It was hard for him to grasp the concept, always being provided with food all of his life, but he hoped that when he became the ruler, he might be able to do something about it. Aizen was always a little too busy with the war nowadays._

"_Oh, these ropes are _killing _my wrists," the captive suddenly exclaimed. "I swear they're cutting off circulation to my hands. Damn guards didn't have to tie them so tight."_

_And then, to Toushiro's complete surprise, using the wall as support, he lifted himself up slightly, and swung his arms underneath his backside and under his knees, plopping down moments later. He slipped his tied hands under his feet, and found them in front of his body rather than behind. Using his tough teeth, he gnawed at the ropes until they loosened, and then thrust his hands apart, causing the binds to fall off._

"_Aah. Much better," he said, sighing in happiness as he rubbed his wrists. Only then did he notice Toushiro's flabbergasted expression. "...What?"_

"_You could have broken free anytime!" Toushiro thundered, a frightening glower on his face._

"_Oh, yeah," the prisoner replied casually. "It's not really that hard, especially when you're flexible."_

"_Then _what _was the point in having me feed you?" he snapped._

"_I just wanted to see if you would," he replied, grinning cheekily. "And you did! So...great job." Ignoring the way his eyes were practically murderous, he patted his back encouragingly. "Thanks, Toushiro."_

_The anger was replaced with surprise. "You know my name?"_

_The captive rolled his eyes. "Well, duh. You're the prince of the planet my people have been fighting against for years now. Of course I know your name."_

"_But you asked me for it..."_

"_Courtesy," he replied, shrugging. "Wouldn't it be rude if I didn't at least give you a chance to decide if you wanted me to know?"_

"_But you _do _know," he insisted. "And I chose not to tell you."_

"_That's not my fault," the boy replied, shrugging. "We humans do our research when it counts."_

_Toushiro sighed in aggravation. "At least do me the courtesy of referring to me as 'Hitsugaya.'"_

"_No." The prisoner stuck out his tongue. "Don't wanna."_

"_You will do it because I said so!" he ordered. This impudent little..._

"_Don't think so," the boy sang out. "You will forever be known to me as 'Toushiro.'_ _Hitsugaya who?"_

_Grumbling furiously, Toushiro stood up and strode towards the prison door. He didn't have to stay and listen to this. This infuriating prisoner could just stay here and rot, for all he cared. After all that he had done for him, he was still so disrespectful! Well, he would never return, and some day, the prisoner would come to regret angering him this way. He slammed the jail shut, locking it once again._

"_Hey!" the boy called from inside at the last second. When the young prince looked up angrily, he was smirking, though his eyes were warm. "Name's Hikaru, by the way."_

_His face flushing, Toushiro stomped away, knowing he would return again and hating it._

**.. ღ ..**

She quickly becomes used to her new life. It hardly ever feels like a kidnapping, and she soon forgets about the rough way the blue haired soldier had grabbed her, or the fear she had felt sitting alone in that prison cell. Her family plagues her mind constantly, but she has no way to contact them for now. She can only hope that some point in the future, she can assure her brother she is okay and that, until then, he not feel too much grief.

She quickly learns that Leoans are people that need not be feared, as she had believed for so long. Matsumoto follows her around constantly, jabbering away, and it comforts her to have a friend. The other maids accept her presence easily soon after witnessing such blatant approval, and so the atmosphere around her is always carefree. Even Ulquiorra's icy glares directed her way as he is forced to tag along don't bother her as much anymore, though she cannot say they don't prick at her from time to time.

The queen is more than hospitable. She constantly checks in on them, needing to be assured that they are okay. Her offers of hot meals, baths, clean clothes, and anything else she may desire are always appreciated, and she quickly comes to respect the young woman. She does not see the king after that first meeting except during dinner, however, though she does not take it to heart – he must be a busy man, after all.

But, every once in a while, she does feel a little suffocated. She spends all her time in the palace and, although it had been new and exciting those first few days, there is nothing more that attracts her there anymore. From her temporary bedroom window she can see a small village nestled between the trees and forest, and she longs to go, excited by the prospect of exploring this strange new land now that she knows it holds no threat. But, she can only watch in jealousy when she sees the maids whipping in and out of the front entrance, for she is not even allowed to go too far in the yard without Ulquiorra's protection. And with his sour face, it only spoils the mood.

One morning, the three in their usual grouping sit in her room, finished with breakfast and unsure of what to do with themselves for the day. The stoic soldier leans by the doorway as usual, ignoring them with closed eyes as she and Matsumoto discuss animatedly.

"We could always try riding some of the horses," the maid suggests excitedly. "They can really fly! I'm sure it'll be fun."

"I guess..." Orihime agrees a little hesitantly. She bites her lip, looking down.

"What is it?" the orange top asks in concern.

"Well, I know that you always say I shouldn't, but I really, _really _want to..."

"What?" she urges, her eyes twinkling. Orihime grins with anticipation.

"Can we go to town?" she finally spits out after mustering the courage.

Matsumoto grimaces at the idea, but before she can say anything, a cold voice answers from the doorway.

"Foolish girl," someone snaps, and both look over to see Ulquiorra almost glaring at her. "Do you hold no value in your own safety? Your carelessness only makes my job more difficult."

The young human deflates slightly, her face falling at his harsh tone and confusion as to why he would react this way, but then she glares back.

"What's wrong with wanting to go to town? I'll just be looking around. If I don't turn a knife on someone, who's going to attack me?"

"It will not matter to the townspeople whether you're harmless," Matsumoto explains gently, though she throws a scowl at the bodyguard first for his insulting words. He ignores her, uncaring. "To them, you are different, unknown, and, therefore, a threat. They will be on constant guard, and no Leoan is ever foolish enough to wander through the streets without _some _form of protection. Panic can be a great motivator for attack, and so your arrival in itself can be deemed dangerous to your life."

"Oh," the young human says, looking down in sadness. And then she pouts. "But I _really _want to see the town! If the king and queen are watching for my safety, then they surely won't attack me?"

"The king tolerates humans," Ulquiorra speaks again, "because his wife is human. He holds no dear attachment to your people, other than that his bride is concerned for their well-being. It is an unspoken but well-known fact that his Highness would not be so adamant about ending this war had the queen not voiced her concerns for it. Do not think he will be quick to jump to your defense – do not think _anyone _will be quick to jump to your defense."

Orihime bites her lip at his dismissive tone, though she feels saddened at his lack of care towards her well-being. He pays no mind to her, only looking away from the both of them and staring straight ahead as he leans against the doorway once again.

"As much as I loathe to admit it," Matsumoto adds on, sighing slightly, "what he says is true. Although Hitsugaya-sama is much more compassionate than our last king, _Aizen_" – her face twists into a dangerous growl at the name – "Karin-sama is the true reason for the recent peace negotiations. He loves her, and his desire to please her and bless her with all of her wishes wins out over his learned belief that humans are trash, even if this means saving those same people."

"Oh, how romantic," Orihime sighs dreamily, gazing off into space, all thoughts of the town forgotten. The two other occupants in the room watch her with incredulity.

"So, you're okay with not going to town?" Matsumoto questions her carefully.

"Of course!" Orihime cries. "True love conquers all!"

"What does that have to do with anything...?" the maid wonders in bemusement, very confused at the sudden change of events. Orihime ignores her, too lost in her romantic fantasies.

Ulquiorra simply rolls his eyes at the display.

**.. ღ ..**

When the two royals and Orihime meet again for dinner later that day, she cannot resist sneaking glances at them from time to time, giggling under her breath. When they look at her in confusion, she simply looks away quickly, squealing.

"Is something the matter, Miss Orihime?" Karin finally asks, looking rather concerned about her peculiar behavior.

"Of course not," she squeaks in return, blushing horridly as she glances at them again.

Even so, the two cannot help but discuss her on their way to their bedroom.

"You don't think..." Karin's eyes narrow as a new thought hits her. "You don't think she has some sort of _crush _on you, do you?" Unable to help herself, she scowls and wraps her arms around one of his possessively. He chuckles at her paranoia.

"I've only ever talked to her briefly during dinner, and even then it's only a few lines," he tells her, patting her arm reassuringly. "She could hardly have any sort of infatuation with me."

She nods, but even so, plasters herself to his side. Shaking his head, he slips the arm in her hold around her waist, keeping her close.

"You needn't worry about this," he assures her. "And, we have more serious matters to fret over," he reminds her.

Her eyebrows furrow at the reminder. Their war council had still not made any progress over Orihime's capture, and they all seemed at a loss over what to do so far. The situation is too delicate to be taken lightly, and yet there seems no way to handle it properly in their favor. Even with all of their minds working together, it is impossible to think of a favorable solution.

"You're right," she agrees with her husband, sighing. "There really does seem to be no way to send Miss Orihime home safely. Even with the council working so diligently..."

"Oh, I don't mean Miss Orihime's case," he cuts her off, shaking his head. As they arrive at their bedroom door, he flings it open, and then places his hands behind her knees, picking her up as she shrieks in surprise. "Didn't we agree to try for a baby?" he asks, smirking devilishly. "And I've yet to see any progress."

Flushing, she swats the back of his head. He leads her inside, kicking the door shut behind him.

"It's impossible to believe there was ever a time when I didn't love you," he tell her tenderly, softly laying her on the bed and jumping on top.

**.. ღ ..**

"_Hey, hey! Toushiro!"_

_He gritted his teeth furiously as Hikaru nonchalantly waved him over. He was sitting in his cell so casually, as if referring to a prince so easily wasn't anything major. It irritated him._

"_Keep your voice down," he hissed. Hikaru blinked._

"_Why?" he asked, not bothering to lower his voice. "The guards just left."_

"_There are other prisoners here," he reminded him icily. Hikaru waved an airy hand._

"_They're half dead. They're not telling anyone anything." He patted the ground next to him in the cell. "Come on."_

_Looking left and right, Toushiro opened the lock again, and then strode towards him, sitting down where he had indicated with his back against the wall. It was the closest they had ever been, he realized._

"_...You smell," he blurted out. Hikaru scowled and slapped his arm._

"_Well, _excuse me,_" he said sarcastically. "You're a real sweet talker, aren't you? _You _try sitting in this rotting cell for weeks without one shower and see if _you_ come out smelling like roses. Maybe next time you can bring me a bucket of water and some soap, if it bothers you so much."_

_Toushiro shifted awkwardly. He felt kind of regretful that he had said that. It was rude. But Hikaru didn't really seem bothered by it aside from the sarcastic retort._

"_So, tell me, oh sweet smelling one," he teased, "what's the outside world like nowadays? Did I miss anything major; the apocalypse, doomsday, Armageddon, a lunar eclipse?"_

_Toushiro's brow furrowed. "Not particularly." he supplied. Hikaru rolled his eyes._

"_Okay, I get that you're not much of a talker, but I kind of want a _little _more than that."_

"_..." He couldn't really think of anything to say. Hikaru huffed, crossing his arms across his chest._

"_Fine, fine," he relented. "We'll just find something else to talk about. You got any ideas?"_

"_...What's a lunar eclipse?" he finally asked, looking confused. Hikaru blinked at him a couple of times before throwing his head back and bursting out in laughter. Toushiro glared at him ferociously, his pride wounded, and he noticed._

"_Oh, no. I'm not laughing at you," Hikaru said, waving his hand in front of his chest. "I just forgot that a lunar eclipse is a human and Earth thing, you know? Sometimes you guys act so much like us that it's easy to forget."_

_Toushiro froze at those words, seeing the truth in them. They did act a lot alike. In fact, he would say that both humans and Leoans were practically one and the same when it came to behavior, survival instincts, food, clothing. The only difference was that he had been taught since young that humans were trash and Leoans were superior. And that hardly seemed plausible when he thought about it. How could they be the same, and yet so different?_

"_A lunar eclipse is when the moon goes all black," Hikaru explained, not aware of his inner inquiries. "The sun doesn't shine on it 'cause the Earth's in the way." Toushiro nodded, vaguely understanding such a simple definition. "Now _I've _got a question for _you_."_

_The young prince looked at him warily. "All right."_

"_So...are we friends now?"_

_He was taken aback completely, not having expected that _at all. _"What?"_

_Hikaru put a finger to his bottom lip, raising his head and looking thoughtful._

"_Well, you've come to visit me three times now, and you've brought me food and fed me. I think that warrants a friendship." He grinned. "So, what do ya say?" He held out his hand for a shake._

_Toushiro stared at it for a few moments before angrily swatting it away. He was used to this – people coming up to him, attempting to befriend him in order to win his favor and hopefully get something in return. Being the prince of a planet was a rather lonely occupation, but he had had enough of people thinking they could pull one over on him._

_With rage bubbling in the pit of his stomach, he stood up to leave. Hikaru quickly grabbed the back of his shirt._

"_Wha…? Where are you going?" he asked in alarm._

"_Let go," the royal replied icily. Yanking himself out of his hold, he spun around to glare at him. "I didn't come here to be taken advantage of," he spat out._

"_Taken advantage of…? What the hell are you going on about?" the confused prisoner demanded._

"_I'm not a stranger to those who attempt friendship simply for the benefits," he retorted._

_Hikaru took a moment to process this before rolling his eyes._

"_Geez, Toushiro," he said flatly. "Do you _have _to take everything so seriously?" His expression softened a little as he looked into his eyes. "I just like having someone to talk to, you know? It gets kinda lonely around here."_

"_So…you're not attempting to gain something through this relationship?" Toushiro asked suspiciously for clearance. Hikaru lightly punched his arm._

"_Nah. Just a little company. We'll be…what's the word?" He snapped his fingers a few times as he racked his brains. "_Conditional. _Yeah, that's it. We'll be conditional friends."_

_Toushiro hesitated before taking his seat beside him once again. "And what exactly would that imply?" he asked curiously._

_Hikaru shrugged. "Only that you visit me every once in a while. Of course, you'll have to bring me food, too. But that's mostly for your own benefit. I can be a real ass when I'm hungry."_

"_How can not consuming food make you a donkey?" Toushiro asked in wonder, slightly confused._

_For the second time, Hikaru burst out laughing. Wiping at the tears in his eyes, he repeatedly thumped Toushiro on the back._

"_Oh, you're a funny guy, Toushiro. I can tell we're gonna be great friends."_

"_I don't appreciate lesser beings mocking me," Toushiro snapped, and when he stood up this time, he strode across the cell and unlocked the door, actually intending to leave._

"_Leave if you want, but we both know you'll come back!" Hikaru called after him playfully._

**.. ღ ..**

"_Hikaru! Hikaru!"_

"_Mmm...Go away," he mumbled sleepily, swatting at the person attempting to shake him awake. She had only just dozed off moments ago, too, as the warmth of the afternoon had made her eyelids droop heavily._

_Toushiro scowled._

"_Wake up," he hissed. "The guards have just departed for their rest."_

"_Toushiro...?" Hikaru murmured, rubbing at his eyes as he sat up a little straighter. "What's going on?"_

"_Come," the monarch answered. Standing up from his crouch, he gestured with his arm that the prisoner follow him. Hikaru's eyes widened, and Toushiro couldn't help but smirk._

_His mother's death anniversary had passed the last day. Early morning, he had set out to her grave, sullen and saddened as he neared the burial grounds of the royals. As his steps crunched against the path, he had only fumed at Aizen's refusal to be there with him._

"_I'm a busy man," he had excused himself, a playful smile on his face. "Run along by yourself now, Toushiro, and let me work."_

_So, with a scowl planted on his face, he had hurried to her site. How could Aizen have dismissed him so easily? This was his wife! But, as he neared the grave, his rage had bubbled down to melancholy. Standing at that marker alone had made him think a lot of things, and the first thought his mind had jumped to had been his new friend, Hikaru; the boy who was rotting away in a dangerous prison cell out of sight from humanity, and the boy who had it much worse than him. He didn't know why, but he had suddenly been hit with the urge to do something special for the young prisoner._

"_I want to show you something," he whispered now, carefully leading a stumbling Hikaru out the cell door._

"_Should you be doing this?" Hikaru replied in a hushed tone, his eyes flitting left and right furiously in fear._

"_I am the prince of this country," Toushiro said cockily. "I may do whatever I desire." His expression dropped for a few moments. "Of course, I cannot take you too far. Aizen will know only too well if a prisoner goes farther from the grounds than a secured location. But, I assume you might appreciate the sunlight."_

_The prisoner beamed at him, no longer jumpy as they sneaked stealthily out the back exit of the prison, one that exited straight to the back gardens._

_Sunlight hit his face so suddenly that he had to shield his eyes from the rays, hissing in discomfort at first. He was so unused to the light now, having stayed in such a darkened area with no sightings of the sun for so many days. But, little by little, as Toushiro waited patiently, he moved his arm away from his face cautiously, his eyes squinting as he took small steps with them, too._

"_Would you like to walk and stretch your legs?" Toushiro asked, a warm glowing in his chest as he noticed the look of complete and unhidden awe on Hikaru's face; it was pure and unguarded, and he knew by just that simple gesture that his gift had been more than appreciated._

_Hikaru nodded slowly, still trying to absorb everything with widened eyes. Gesturing to him, the young prince walked ahead, into the trees and shrubbery, and his friend followed, still a little clumsy from being given so much space to roam after having no chance to spread his legs since his capture._

"_So, that's the palace, huh?" His first words, playful and even as usual, gave Toushiro a sense of relief, and he nodded in confirmation at the very large and extravagant building his companion was pointing to. They were so close to it, and its beige colors almost his it completely under the yellow rays of the sun and the cover of thick tree leaves. But, Hikaru still whistled under his breath, impressed._

"_With that puny little prison they had me holed up in, I never imagined it would be so big," he commented. "How do you not get lost?"_

"_Practice," Toushiro answered nonchalantly, choosing not to take offense today, as he would have on any other visit. He didn't want to ruin this for his friend by nit-picking at the little details of his usually careless words._

"_I think I would _always _get lost, no matter how much I – whoa!" Hit with a dizzy spell from the sudden excitement he was not used to, he stumbled. His back hit a nearby tree and he slid down the stump, flopping onto the ground, his breathing labored._

"_Are you all right?" Toushiro asked, letting a small amount of his concern show through._

"_I'm awesome," Hikaru replied, beaming up at him through the pants. He even managed to send him a thumb-up sign. "Just out of practice with all this."_

_Toushiro took a seat beside him, also leaning his back against the tree. There was really no point to his continuing on, as this whole trip had been for Hikaru's benefit, after all. He had no problems with simply lazing under the shade of the leaves for the entirety of the day, if that was what the boy desired. The two settled in comfortably._

"_Hey, Toushiro?" his friend said. He turned to him curiously, and was shocked when the prisoner placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for this. Really." His eyes were warm. "It means a lot, and I promise I won't give up on myself."_

_A little flushed from the rather embarrassing speech, he simply smiled over at his young monarch friend. And Toushiro, contrary to what he had always believed, didn't find it all that hard to return._

* * *

**Well, here it is. The tenth chapter - gosh, it really doesn't feel like it to me. Feels more like I just started this story. Maybe because I have a lot of fun writing it, actually. This is for you guys to celebrate my birthday; I turned 17 today! Also, it was the second day of school, so I felt like a schmuk...-_-**

**So, lots of you wanted to read more about Toushiro and Karin's interactions in the past, so here's a few. I'll put up more when they tie in with more of the present timeline - you know, the usual style of this story. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with the change in _"she"_ to _"he"_ in that last flashback. I used _"she" _because _we _know that Hikaru's a girl, but I switched to _"he" _because it's told in Toushiro's point of view and he thinks Hikaru is male :)**

**Plus, hopefully, Shizuku700, this quelled some of your worries as to why Toushiro was so cold to Orihime. It was really nothing major, but it defines his character and his relationship with Karin. He loves her so much. Aww...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Inoue-san...?"

He does not look up, ignoring the timid calling of the shy maid. She remains standing in the doorway, a little hesitant to say more when she takes notice of his defeated posture; he is seated at the edge of his bed, slouched over with his head in his hands. Biting her lip, she strains her ears, and is relieved that she hears no sobs. This has been hard on all of them.

"Inoue-san," she says again, a little more evenly. "The police station just called."

He stirs slighlty at this news, peeking out from his fingers. His eyes, sullen and dead, send chills through her, and she fights back the urge to squeak.

"Th-they said they've contacted the defense department, and that Orihime-sama's capture is being discussed right now. They haven't agreed on a decision yet, but -"

"Get me when they have," he rasps harshly, making her jump. "If the good for nothing police think I'm just going to sit idly by..." With a scowl planted on his usually kind face, he finally stands, his face set in determination. "You may go now," he orders the maid, and she bows hastily before departing.

Stiffly, he marches to his dresser, where his discarded cell phone rests on top. Flipping it open, he briefs through his contact list, his eyes flying left and right as he reads the names. When he reaches his desired number, he places the phone to his ears, waiting impatiently. It picks up after the third ring.

"'lo?" a feminine voice grunts thickly on the other end.

"Shiba-san," he replies crisply, his eyes hardening.

"Inoue?" she grumbles. "What's this about, so early? I was eating my breakfast -"

"Your newspaper," he interrupts her. "When does your latest edition come out?"

"Huh?" She pauses for a minute, and he hears her hum in thought. "This week's is going to the printers tomorrow," she remembers. "Why?"

"Something's happened," he almost growls. "The police are idiots who don't know what they're doing, and I think the public should know...For their own safety, of course." He hopes that with the spread of this horrendous tradegy, he can perhaps rally supporters to demand more action for his baby sister's safe return. "Can you add another piece in?"

"It'll be tough..." she mumbles. "But for an old friend? Sure. What's up?"

"It's Orihime," he chokes out.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"There seems to be nothing we can do presently," Kira announces, sighing heavily in defeat. "It is regrettable that Miss Orihime comes from such a wealthy and influential family back on her home planet. The news of her disappearance has spread, and the human newspapers are already speculating that her vanishing has everything to do with us."

Karin makes a noise of aggravation, burying her head in her hands for a moment.

"I knew there would be trouble," she mumbles. "How are we to make peace now? With the power of her brother, it seems almost impossible that word of our kidnapping has not already spread throughout the entire Scandinavian area. All of our efforts, wasted."

Her husband reaches out a hand to place on her back, rubbing it soothingly in an attempt to placate her. However, he does not add any of his own commentary to the discussion, choosing instead to gaze off absentmindedly, thinking only of the sorrow tomorrow will bring for him.

The other council members gaze at one another helplessly, attempting to find a solution to the problem, yet not succeeding. Some stroke their chins in thought, still determined to have an epiphany, but others face the less than ideal facts.

"We have only the hope that they consider listening to our story and apologies," Ukitake, an important member of their war council, adds on. "But that seems unlikely. Returning her is not possible, not with our promise to keep their land free of Leoans until the next course of action can be decided. Breaking our official oath will only cause more reason for distrust."

"So, presently, there is no way to send her back home and fix the dilemma," Kyoraku, another valuable member, concludes.

"Could we not simply allow the human to communicate with her brother?" Kurotsuchi suggests, his painted face fixed in a creepy smile. "I'm sure a simple spell on her can -"

"Absolutely not," Karin interrupts sharply. She has seen too clearly what dark magic can do to humans. There is no chance of her allowing any spells to be cast around Orihime, in case one go awry and disfigure the girl forever.

"Besides," Nanao, ever the careful thinker, offers her two cents worth, "the communication spell requires the receiving party to receive the message with their own spell. Last I checked, humans have no talent for our demon magic."

"That's my Nanao-chan," Kyoraku coos, gazing at her lovingly from under his large straw hat. "As brainy as she is beautiful." She simply looks away, her nose in the air, and he chuckles, used to her snubs and finding them endearing.

Karin nods thankfully in her direction, though her lips thin at her last statement, thinking of one obvious objection. Toushiro notices her expression, and pats her back reassuringly, momentarily forgetting his own troubles after catching sight of her subtle distress at the reminder.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_"I should congratulate you on making it this far," Aizen's voice echoed throughout the almost empty throne room. "A victory over my guards is a very note-worthy acheivement, Karin-chan, my son."_

_"Don't call me that!" was the harsh reply from the bloodied white-haired soldier. Aizen chuckled at the look of disgust on his face._

_"As you wish, Toushiro-kun," he answered simply. "I never much conidered you a son, anyway. More of a hindrance."_

_"The feeling is mutual," Toushiro spat out. Karin grabbed his hand for a moment, giving it a reassuring squeeze before returning to glaring at the hated king._

_"Give it up, Aizen," she sneered, rubbing at her face to smudge off some of the blood running down her forehead. "Your palace guards have been defeated, our allies are all taking care of the rest, even the maids are on our side. Everyone within the palace knows of your evil and your shady crimes. Your plans and your title have both been jeopardized."_

_"Oh, it seems you are right," Aizen agreed in a flat tone, looking as one does when they pick at their nails in an uncaring fashion. And then his face twisted into a devilosh grin, one not fitting for his misleading kind face. "But submission is not so hard to gain. I certainly had you on a leash for a moment, did I not, Karin-chan?"_

_She snarled at him, resisting the urge to spit in his direction._

_"And do you really think your pathetic attempts can do anything to save your planet?" Aizen asked, his perfect smile widening on his face, now dripping with amused malice. He looked completely uneffected by the dangerous scowls in his direction, all occupants in the room baring their teeth at him. "My plan is already in motion, and with the information I have on your planet, victory is assured for me."_

_"Not if I _kill you _first," Karin growled, tightening her hold on the sword in her hand and bending into a fighting stance. She was sweaty and grimy, dirt and blood outlining her hair line, a large gash going down her cheek as she panted heavily. Toushiro hovered beside her protectively, looking just as beaten and with his own knuckles turning white as they clenched around the hilt of his weapon._

_Aizen chuckled, his face relaxed as he eyed her._

_"Please, go ahead," he goaded. "You can try, but I know your weaknesses, _Hikaru-kun._" His eyes twinkled as he said the name of her alias – he had always found her story very humorous. "Kaneko-kun was definitely a very valuable asset."_

_Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening. Toushiro eyed her warily._

_"Are you alright, Karin?" he asked worriedly, but she didn't even look his way, too transfixed with Aizen and his smirk. The man himself suddenly looked pleased, watching her reaction with interest._

_"You mean, K-Kaneko," – she gulped as she steered herself – "_Ryou_-sempai?" she whispered._

_"Oh, so you know of him," Aizen said, though it was obvious from the expression on his face that he had known all along she knew of him _and_ what it would do to her to mention him. "He certainly was my most dependable spy, and so perfectly expendable. It's too bad he had to die, but sadly, he was of no use to me any longer after he gave me all the information he could have, so I had to dispose of him."_

_Toushiro crouched beside her. He remembered Ryou, the dear freind of his lover who had died courageously, or so she had once told him. Blessed with intelligence, he could easily decipher the meanings behind their words, and as he watched her face twist in pain, he held back a growl of anger, instead narrowing his eyes towards their enemy, prepared for any sudden attacks during her moment of weakness._

_"You're lying," she hissed, spreading her legs and preparing for battle once again, just like her ally beside her. Her jaw set in defience. "Ryou-sempai died because of an attack in battle -"_

_"And who do you think ordered the attack?" Aizen countered lazily, waving a hand carelessly through the air as if exasperated by her desperate attempts to negate his comments. "Who do you think ordered the soldiers to ensure that the battle not end without his fatal injury? Of course, the betrayal wasn't very voluntary on his part, but we have some very talented soldiers amongst the midst of our army. His free will had to be compromised from time to time, but I was willing to take that horrible hit to my morale. He never once even realized he was betraying his beloved planet. Perhaps some would say that makes me very _humane, _don't you think?"_

_"You're _lying_," she insisted once again, ignoring his teasing question._

_"Am I?" he asked airily."Tell me, Hikaru-kun, is it not true that although you are left-handed, you handle a sword with your right, because it was your right-handed big brother who taught you to fight?"_

_"Karin..." Toushiro said slowly, not taking his wary eyes off of Aizen as he side-stepped closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't fall for his tricks."_

_"But...it's not a trick, Toushiro," she whispered, a look of horror on her face. "That was something I told Ryou-sempai. How could he have known if Ryou-sempai hadn't told him?" Her face contorted in pain._

_"Look, you cannot let his words manipulate you now," he warned. "Don't you see? Aizen uses his words to control an opponent before battle. He is trying to get into your head. We've come this far, and killed so many. Do not let one foolish decision ruin our battle after we've finally reached our opponent."_

_"Are you two about done?" the said opponent called out to them, completely relaxed. "This is turning out to be a rather disappointing fight. I had thought you two had more skill than this."_

_"Shut up, Aizen," Toushiro spit out with venom. "If it's a fight you want, we are both warmed up and ready."_

_"But our dear Hikaru-kun seems to be a bit preoccupied," he mocked them, inclining his head towards the frozen soldier. "Was the shock a bit much for you, sweetheart?"_

_She snapped out of it almost immediately, glaring up at him at the word._

_"Don't call me sweetheart," she growled._

_"Oh, my apologies," he answered, putting a hand over his mouth with a fake ashamed look on his face. His eyes were cruel almost immediately after. "Would you rather I call you 'little man?'"_

_Growling frighteningly and with a glint of savage anger in her eyes, she lunged._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"Well, then," Unohana speaks up softly, "I suggest we wait for our human correspondents to make a move. There is hardly any use makng plans with no firm foundation to them."

Toushiro inclines his head respectfully in her direction before taking her advice and dismissing the meeting for the evening.

As the meeting room empties, Karin finally turns to her husband, placing her hands on his shoulders and peering into his eyes.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asks. He simply stares back blankly, not answering.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, which snaps him out of his daze, in order to gaze at her in confusion. "You certainly don't need all this extra stress, not with tomorrow approaching so quickly." He winces slightly, but gently cups her cheek.

"There is no need to be so concerned, my love. This is important to you -"

"And tomorrow is important to you," she cuts in firmly. "Come. I suggest we head to bed early tonight. You will need your strength to face tomorrow, and if I am to be your support, then we both need to rest."

He allows her to slip her hands into his and pull him up, and then lead him out.

**.. ****ღ ****..**

"Hello, Okaa-sama," he mutters softly, clapping his hands together as he kneels in front of the grave. "It is so difficult to believe that it has already been a year since I have visited you last."

Karin stands beside him, gazing down at him sadly, but not interrupting; it is enough for her that he has chosen to speak aloud, because she knows this is his display of trust in her – by making his true and vulnerable feelings apparent.

"Karin is here to visit you with me again," he continues, "though she has no need to worry about gaining her in-laws' approval. I'm confident you would have liked her, anyway."

She smiles at this and, unable to help herself, bends down behind him, wraps her arms tightly around his waist, and lays her head against his broad back.

"We're trying for a baby, although nothing has resulted from our nights as of yet. But we have hope. Karin tells me her family has a history of birthing strong, healthy babies, so that quells some of our fears. I never once thought when younger that I would ever want one, but Karin and I are sure now that starting a family is something we both desire greatly."

She lightly kisses the back of his neck as he tells his mother their news. He racks his brain for something else to tell the marker.

"Recently, one of our soldiers picked up a human woman from Earth," he remembers. "This causes a problem for us, because we have been trying to negotiate peace. But we have been keeping her in comfort during her stay, so hopefully the repercussions will not be as bad as we think they might be."

He pauses then, unsure of what else to say. They sit in silence, until Karin breaks it with a command she has wanted to say for a long time, and knows will help him now.

"Tell me about her."

For years she has been afraid to ask because she can see the distress it causes him, but she has always been curious about her unknown mother-in-law, whom even the maids seem to have admired. The mention of her name always brings sadness to a conversation, so she does not talk to him about her. But on this day, she feels that it is the right time, because remembering cannot be evaded.

More silence follows her request, but he sighs soon after.

"She was very young," he starts. "Heartbroken after losing her husband and my father, she chose to adopt back her maiden name, _Hinamori_, to dull the pain_. _However, she gave me _Hitsugaya _as a surname, in memory of him. Aizen attempted to change it after their marriage, but I refused – it was the one time she fought against him with me." He smiles ruefully at the memory, and she waits, fascinated. "She was always too trusting. Aizen only courted her for half a year before they married; I had turned three by this time, and I still did not like the man."

"For good reason," she growls with malice, unable to keep quiet at the memory of him. He smiles bitterly.

"But she could not see that; she thought he was perfect. Despite the gullibility, however, she did make a very good queen. There was no wars doing her reign, which perhaps might be the reason her subjects allowed her to rule even after the marriage. Though Aizen took over as rightful owner of the throne after she...passed."

"Tell me about her death," she urges, when she realizes he plans on glossing over the details of this. Bottling up the despair is not good for him.

He grits his teeth, unsure of how to get the words out. She waits with uncharacteristic patience, something she reserves only for him.

"I was eight," he tells her finally, still staring straight at the grave marker, "and she was all I had left."

He breaks free of her grip, spins around suddenly, and pulls her into his arm. Her eyes sadden; she herself had missed her mother so terribly after her loss, yet she had had the rest of her family as support. Toushiro had had no one aside from a cruel stepfather and maids too awed by his presence to speak with him properly. She is grateful to be his confidant now, to ease his pain.

She kisses his forehead, running her hand through his hair, down his neck, and finally rests them on his shoulders, encouraging him to continue with a look.

"The healers all assured me it was simply a common case of the influenza virus," he says in a choked whisper, his face and eyes hollow and tearless. She nuzzles her nose against the crook of his neck comfortingly, remaining quiet so to allow him to speak, which she knows is what he needs right now. "They were all confident her health would be back to normal in only a few days time, that it would pass easily. But she was..._dead _by the next morning. I just don't undertand how it could have happened."

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_Queen Momo coughed loudly. Her throat felt like it was on fire and had been irritating her all morning, despite the earliness of the hour._

"_More hot tea, Aizen-sama?" one of her maids suggested, holding up a small pot of herbal tea from its place on the silver tray in her lap._

"_No, thank you," the queen replied, shaking her head, though she instantly stopped when she felt her head ache from the action. "I hardly think it is taking any effect at all. My neck is still scorching."_

_The young maid looked at her forlornly as she set the pot back down, upset that her queen was so ill. Momo noticed her frown and smiled encouragingly._

"_There is no need to appear so disheartened, my dear," she assured her, going as far as to reach over and gently pat her hand reassuringly. "The healers have informed me this is nothing more but a trifling common illness. I should be in top shape by the end of this week."_

_The server brightened a little at this news, offering her a small smile of her own. Hinamori grinned back before leaning against the headboard of the bed she was in and sighing. She had been stuck within this room in the palace infirmary since her first cough yesterday morning, and already she really missed the fresh air and sunlight she could see through the closed window._

"_No, no, no, Aizen-sama!" one of the healers had exclaimed at her once, when she caught her trying to open the window. "The air outside may be thick with germs. We must assure your perfect health before you allow yourself such great risks as opening windows."_

_She had not tried again._

"_Is my lovely wife displeased today?"_

_The smooth voice made her heart begin to suddenly flutter, and her eyes snapped over to the doorway, where the handsome visage of her husband made her stomach drop in a pleasant way._

"_Sosuke-sama," she breathed happily, immediately straightening from her backwards lean into a sitting position. Referring to him by his first name still gave her the pleasant chill it had since the first time he had insisted she call him more familiarly, although she still tacked on the '-sama' at the end out of respect and shyness._

"_I could hear your sigh of boredom from all the way down the hall, my darling," he chuckled. She blushed slightly and couldn't help the pout that broke out as she crossed her arms across her chest in defense._

"_I have been forbidden from leaving this room all day yesterday – I fear today as well – and will be for many more to come," she complained. "If the paleness of my skin is any indication, I miss the sunlight."_

_Aizen strode over to the bed, pulled her arms free from their rigid posture, and took one hand into his own in a comforting manner._

"_I assure you, my dear," he said lightly, "that your skin looks every bit as beautiful as it has for years."_

_The blush on her face matched that of the young maid's, who was embarrassed at having witnessed such a private, not to mention romantic, scene between the two royals. Mumbling an excuse, she placed the tea tray on Momo's bedside table, bowed low and hastily, and ran out. Aizen chuckled in amusement as he watched her go from the corner of his eyes._

_Momo was too caught up in their hand holding to notice that it had a slightly sinister ring to it._

"_Sosuke-sama," she managed to gasp out, "how is my Toushiro faring? He has not been allowed to visit with me lest he catch my sickness, and I miss him dearly."_

_Aizen took a seat next to her bedside in the chair previously occupied by the maid and pulled it a little closer to his wife while still clasping her hand tightly within his own, and gave her a reassuring smile – his warm and genuine smiles always put her at ease._

"_He is doing much better since learning of the harmless state of your condition, my dear Momo-chan. He has been fretting very much for your health."_

_Momo's face fell at this last bit of news, her eyes dropping to her bedsheets at the thought of her baby's sadness._

"_Now, now," Aizen tutted, cupping her chin with his free hand and pulling her face back up to look at him "There is no need to look so saddened, my love – such an expression only pierces my heart. You need only to know that the most wondrous of smiles split across his face at the knowledge that you would recover in the week."_

_Momo's face brightened._

"_You are right," she agreed. "I can hug him to myself very soon. The thought puts me at ease."_

"_And me?" Aizen asked, jokingly. "Do you not wish to hug _me _to yourself?"_

_The queen's face went completely red at the question, and she spluttered some gibberish in her panic before blushing and gazing at him lovingly._

"_If my Sosuke-sama will permit it," she whispered quietly, sounding slightly mortified at her sudden courage._

_Aizen smiled warmly and placed his large hand on the back of her head, guiding her forward. She relented, and when he brought her lips to his own, she clutched the front of his robes tightly, returning the sweet kiss. Her eyelids fluttered shut with her sigh of pleasure._

_She did not see that Aizen's own eyes remained open, gazing down at her with a sort of disgust._

_When they pulled back, red stained her cheeks, and he chuckled._

"_Five years of marriage and you still redden at my touches," he teased._

"_B-but, that's only b-because simply being in Aizen-sama's p-presence makes my heart beat uncontrollably!"_

"_Ah, ah, ah," he suddenly said, waving a finger at her in mock disapproval. "It is 'Sosuke' now, remember?"_

"_Ah, yes...Sosuke-sama," she corrected herself happily, beaming down at the sheets clutched in her fists._

_And then the tender moment was ruined by a sneeze._

"_Oh, how heartless of me to forget my own wife's illness," Aizen reprimanded himself, shaking his head. "Here, lie down, love, and I shall make you comfortable. Sleep is the best remedy, after all."_

_She nodded in agreement and happily obliged, nestling her head into her large, soft pillow._

_Aizen stood up off his chair, and leaned over to kiss her forehead tenderly. And then, strangely enough, he reached over and grabbed the unused pillow lying beside her head. She watched the action in confusion. As he clutched the pillow in his hands and looked down at her, his face twisted suddenly with the most evil smirk she had ever seen a man possess, the gleam reaching all the way to his eyes and marring his face into that of a being no longer human. Momo felt her eyes widen and her heart lurch in fear – her Sosuke-sama never looked at her like that. When he spoke, the cruelness on his tongue caused her alarm._

"_Sleep well, my dear Momo-chan."_

"_Sosuke-sama? Why are you – mmnph!"_

_There was no time to react as the man lunged forward, instantly covering her face with the large pillow._

"_Mmm! Mmph_?_!"_

_Aizen watched in amusement as the frail female beneath him struggled; she kicked her legs furiously, and her hands were clutching the pillow over her face, trying with all of her weak might to pull it off._

_The muffled screams and whimpers got louder, but he only smirked more widely as he pressed the pillow down harder, holding the ends flat against the bed to cut off oxygen supply from _anywhere_. Then, he laid down upon it, crushing and effectively smothering her._

"_Mmph! Mm...hmm..."_

_The kicks got weaker, the screams got quieter, and soon, she was still, her chest no longer heaving, her limbs relaxing in a way that no conscious person could make them._

_For assurance, the bespectacled man kept the pillow firmly in place – after all, what was the point of going through all this trouble to suffocate her if he didn't do it properly? But soon, in his excitement he was unable to wait any longer, and he pulled the pillow off._

_The still and ghostly face of Queen Aizen Momo awaited him underneath. Her eyes were still open in widened shock, terror and panic still etched into the wrinkles and outlines of her face._

_He placed a hand on her cheek, smoothing out her face into a more serene expression, and then placed two fingers on each eyelid, which he pulled down roughly. It looked like she had passed on peacefully in her sleep, though he had to be sure._

_He reached over and placed a hand above her nose and mouth – no breaths. He grasped her dainty and still wrist in his palms and placed two fingers on the edge – no pulse. For good measure, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked as hard as he could – no cry of pain._

_The evil smirk changed to one that was victorious._

"_Gin," his deep voice cut through the silence._

"_Aizen-sama?" his advisor's voice answered immediately. He waited in the doorway, where he had stood through the entire murder secretly to keep watch for maids or healers as planned. His fox-like grin was still on his face as he took in the dead body of the previous ruler. If anything, it grew wider._

_Aizen didn't even bother turning around, didn't even bother lifting his triumphant gaze from the still corpse of his deceased victim._

"_It seems my lovely wife has died so suddenly from her terrible illness. Go tell the maids and the brat, would you? I have a crown to inherit."_

* * *

**Well, I've had this one done for a _long _time, and now that it fits into the storyline, I can finally put it up! I wasn't really sure how I did with this one, though. I forced my sister to read this for me, and though she didn't really care, she _did _say that Aizen was super creepy. Which I think is a good thing, since that was what I was going for ^^'**

**A lot of you guessed that maybe Ryou was Leoan, and actually, that's pretty close, since he _was _helping them. But, he was one hundred percent human! And a good guy. I'll explain it when I get it all figured out myself :P**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

_Gin quickened his steps, heading towards the throne room with his characteristic grin on his face, though this time it was because he was truly happy. He pushed open the doors grandly, striding inside to find Aizen sitting on his throne, smirking down at him._

_"Am I to assume you have good news?" he drawled._

_"Ya even have'ta ask?" Gin answered slyly. Placing his hand into his over sized sleeve, he pulled out a thick scroll. Untying the ribbon holding it shut, he read aloud, "Earth. Planet of humans. Weak, corrupt, clueless – easy win."_

_"And the pseudo message our 'team of Leoan soldiers' intercepted?"_

_Reaching into his other sleeve, Gin pulled out yet another scroll, waving it in the air gleefully as an answer._

_"Excellent," Aizen said, pushing himself off his royal seat. He wandered to the large windows, peaking out towards the kingdom he could see through the glass. "My kingdom will soon reach far beyond such the corners of our galaxy. I _do_ think I'll make an _excellent_ king of the universe. Wouldn't you agree, Gin?"_

_Gin chuckled, leaning against the window beside him. He smirked as he looked out at the busy villagers rushing to and fro, as well as the palace staff down below in the gardens. They all lived such mundane lives. Taking over this 'Earth' was definitely the perfect way to introduce some zest to these boring, insignificant people._

_"What 'bout the brat?" he asked, raising an eyebrow over at his king. Aizen smiled with mirth._

_"He doesn't know much to begin with, does he? Ever since his weakling of a mother died, he's been just a useless little lump. I was hoping after all these years he might have shown some potential to become a competent heir, but I certainly haven't witnessed much progress. It's best to keep him out."_

_Gin chuckled under his breath. He'd seen the young prince wandering throughout the palace from time to time. Each time, he'd looked like a puppet – dead on the inside and only going through the motions of living. It'd been worse three years ago, when the death of his mother had been a fresh wound, and now he was simply just a...living _thing.

_"You have Kira-san and his men prepared?" Aizen asked abruptly. Gin nodded happily._

_"Ready ta set out in the morn'," he replied. "The other troops'll follow."_

_"Excellent, excellent," the king muttered, sweeping some hair out of his face. "Once they initiate invasion and combat, I can finally speak to these pathetic Leoans about this war. They're all too idiotic to question my word any farther, so we are sure to have an easy victory, especially if this _Earth_ is as insufferable as I hear."_

_"We gotta question, though?" Gin said suddenly. "Ulquiorra-san's wantin' ta know what ta do with the Earthlin's?"_

_"Capture them," Aizen sneered. His eyes were cruel. "After all, what good is dominating a planet if I can't take its people as my_ slaves?"

**.. ღ ..**

The green-eyed soldier sighs at the end of yet another hard day. He'd had to listen to the orange haired woman complain and whine about _this_ and _that_ all throughout the day, bound to being present by his duty. And the human hadn't been much better. She, he has noticed, is a rather dense woman, always giggling stupidly when she makes idiotic comments. Moreover, she drifts off into space _far_ too much to be considered sane.

Now, he watches her silently, firmly planted on his seat in the high tree branch on one of the many trees in the palace's gardens. Down below, she is engaged seriously in the bow and arrow in her hand, concentrating with a childish ferocity.

One of the many tutors in the palace – Ishida Uryu, or something or other, he barely remembers – had offered to teach her the art of archery. And she had agreed excitedly, because she is hardly allowed to do anything so interestingly, especially with her restrictions of staying in the palace. Idiot. If she hurts herself, the queen will have _his_ head, and he would rather she simply head back to her room and retire for the night, to make his job easier. But, no, Ishida just _had_ to catch her just before she had made that decision, offering to fill her empty evening with perhaps the most dangerous sport on the planet. Well, for her and her clumsiness, at least.

With an almost irritated twitch to his eyebrows, he watches as she softly tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear, which had come loose from her long ponytail. Her dainty ears hardly seem enough to hold back all her locks, but there is none in her eyes any longer – all because _Ishida_ had somehow managed to procure just the _cutest_ scrunchy in the shape of a panda, earning the human's affections, and all because he had _made it yourself? How marvelous, Ishida-san. You're so talented!_ Her words ring through his mind, as well as the way she had beamed at the man so affectionately, accepting his gift.

It might just be his imagination, but it feels as if his eyebrow is twitching even more now. Probably because she seems ready to string her bow.

He watches with a detached indifference as she eyes the string with fearfully wide eyes and a sort of awe, too. Ishida chuckles at her actions, reassuring her that there is nothing to worry about. He shouldn't be telling her such lies; she would let her guard down, and hurt herself, and _bleed,_ and cry out in pain...

And the queen would come find him.

With an agitated shuffling, he rearranges himself in his seat, gazing down at the scene.

"No, no, Miss Orihime," Ishida says. "You hold it like this." And he takes her hand in his own and gets really close and shows her the _proper_ way. And she bobs her head and blushes – whether because of her mistake or him, he does not know.

He helps her pull on the bow as far back as she can, but when he steps away, her arms start wobbling.

"Ishida-san!" she cries out in dismay. He chuckles and grabs her again. Ulquiorra looks away, gazing up at the clear sky, already turning gray from the approach of night. A few ravens fly by, but otherwise, the heavenly roof is empty.

A sudden _whoosh_ sounds through the air, followed by sounds of rustling leaves and cracking twigs. When he looks back at the two down below, he finds a pouting Orihime. Ishida seems as if he is trying not to laugh.

"That was very good for your first try," he attempts to placate her.

"No, it wasn't!" she insists. "I completely missed the target. And I lost the arrow."

She needlessly waves her arm in the direction of the woods, which the arrow had launched into.

"How about we try again?" Ishida asks. She nods, still looking miffed, even when the bespectacled tutor wraps his hands around hers.

He looks away again.

**.. ღ ..**

He pats Karin's hands gently, bringing one to his lips for a light kiss. She fidgets with the sudden contact but still keeps her head laid out atop his chest.

"Everything will be fine," he murmurs next to her ear.

"No, it will not!" she argues, craning her neck to look up at him hopelessly.

"Miss Orihime is happy here," he reminds her. She shakes her head.

"That will not matter to her brother – I just know it," she answers sadly. "We haven't heard from any of our human contacts about the peace treaty. That's not a good sign."

"We knew that when we took her in," he replies. "But there is nothing more we can do. If they deny us...then, we need only to come up with another plan."

"You make it sound too simple," she mumbles, burying her head in the crook of his neck. "We both know how difficult it is to decide on new ideas, and even more to put them into action. Now, with all of our soldiers out of the area, we have no way of receiving direct news. We can only rely on any information our soldiers stationed in other countries can pick up."

He runs his fingers through her hair. "Is there nothing I can say to ease your worries?"

"No," she answers promptly.

His face darkens and he presses his lips together. She feels guilty at his sorrow, but she knows there is nothing that could really stop her foul mood now. They have not held another war meeting since the last because no one has discovered an efficient way to handle Orihime's problems, and it makes her more and more antsy as more days go by.

What they need, she cannot help but think, is someone cunning and daring, someone who can think of bold plans without a conscience and present them just as easily. No one has yet dared to push any limits, and though she tries, there is always the constant fear of harming Miss Orihime present in the back of her mind.

She snuggles in deeper with her husband, fluttering her eyes shut for sleep. A yawn breaks out across her lips, and through it, she mumbles, "It's times like these that one wishes most for Urahara Kisuke."

**.. ღ ..**

_Urahara Kisuke had a premonition that morning. Well, really, he had been feeling angsty since the very _start_ of this suspicious war, but that morning the feeling was stronger than it had ever been. Something climactic was going to happen today – he could feel it in his bones. Now, he was just waiting for it to happen. And happen it did._

_He had been lounging around in his quaint little candy shop, warding off the summer's heat with his handy little fan when he was distracted by a door sliding open and then closed._

_"Welcome, welcome!" he called cheerily, bouncing to the front to greet his first customer for the day. So imagine his surprise (not that much of a surprise since he'd had a premonition, but even _he_ wasn't blessed enough with a sixth sense that told him exactly _when_ something major would occur) when he saw the form of Kurosaki Karin instead. If memory served, her twin Yuzu had been in only yesterday. Surely they hadn't consumed all of their candy already in such a short time?_

_Of course, being blessed with the intelligence of a genius meant he knew from taking one look at her panicked eyes but determined set of the jaw that she most definitely wasn't here for _candy_. But he still couldn't resist teasing her a bit._

_"Is this some new way you youngsters have decided to protest against the draft?" he questioned playfully, opening his fan and covering his wide grin with it. "You take our fathers, we rot our teeth?"_

_"That's shitty advertisement for your store," she quipped back. "If I was here as a customer, you would have lost out on some good money."_

_"Oh? And am I to infer that you could possibly have some other reason for coming to my humble candy shop than as a customer?"_

_She grit her teeth, and he could tell from the twitch of annoyance in her eyebrow that she was debating whether she should give a witty remark or just get on with her business. Oh, this was so much fun! Finally, she simply shoved her hand out to him, and he saw with interest that she was clenching a piece of paper in her fist._

_"What's this?" he asked, gasping for the effect. "A love letter, perhaps? Well, I'm flattered, and if I didn't have such a frightening wife and a complete lack of a loli-shota complex -"_

_"You are so full of it!" she growled, her cheeks reddening and her eyebrow twitching even more compulsively. "Just read the damn thing."_

_He chuckled as he took it from her, finally snapping his fan shut to get a better view. He could see from the large typed paragraphs and government seals and signatures on the bottom that it was an official document._

'To: Kurosaki Ichigo-san.

As you must be aware, our mother Earth is presently engaged in a vicious was against a foreign planet we have come to learn is referred to as Serra Leoa. As we know close to nothing about this new race, our battles have been fought without any hindsight. We regret to inform you that as a result of this hindrance, many efficient soldiers have been lost to the enemy. Years in the past, the draft our government instituted was diminished because of our many wins in our battles. However, as the Serra Leoans' numbers and strengths escalate, we find ourselves in need of soldiers once again. To placate this problem, a second draft is being issued hereon.

It has come to our recent attention that a Kurosaki Ichigo-san housed in the town of Karakura came of age only a few years in the past, soon after the end of our first draft. As we find ourselves entering this new stage of war, the Japanese Army hereby orders Kurosaki Ichigo-san to immediately apply to enlist in our services and secure his country.

You have been assigned number 13410. A ticket has been enclosed for a train departing the following week, which will lead all eligible soldiers to a central location. Upon arrival, please present this draft letter to a government issued military officer, who will then direct you to the train that will lead you to the specific camp you have been assigned to be trained in.'

_"Well, that was a fun read," Urahara cried, grinning as he opened his fan yet again. Karin looked at him incredulously._

_"_Fun read?"_ she scoffed. "My brother's being forced into going into a fucking war!"_

_"Yes, I inferred that much from the letter myself." Urahara fanned himself. "Well, thanks for stopping by and bringing me the news."_

_It was fun to see her face turn red in anger or to see her fists clench, as if she was resisting the urge to punch him – as if she could._

_"Damn it, Urahara," she managed through her gritted teeth. "Can't you be fucking serious for one damn minute? Ichi-nii could die!"_

_"Hmm, I think not. He's the most stubborn man I have ever met – if he wants to live, he will." The shopkeeper paused, grinning slyly though he was looking at her suspiciously. "How does Ichigo feel about this, anyway?"_

_This time, the flush on her face was from embarrassment. She looked a little nervous as she fiddled with her hands a bit, ducking her head under her cap._

_"He, uh, doesn't know," she admitted sheepishly. He didn't look surprised – he had expected as much. "I didn't have soccer practice today, so I got home before he did and saw this sitting in the mail, so I just...took it."_

_He gasped dramatically again._

_"Why, I'm shocked, Kurosaki-chan," he cried, fanning himself furiously. "Opening someone else's mail is a federal crime. And, oh, you've made me an accomplice!"_

_"Would you just..." Karin breathed deeply, attempting to calm herself as Urahara looked on in amusement. "Anyway, I need your help."_

_"With what?" She glared at him._

_"Well, I _obviously_ can't let Ichi-nii just go off to war. Not with Otou-san gone, too. It would crush Yuzu."_

_"What exactly are you proposing?" The shopkeeper eyed her with interest, though he had an inkling that he knew what she wanted._

_She straightened immediately, baring her shoulders and lifting her head higher, looking at him from under her cap confidently._

_"I want to go in his place."_

_It took all but two seconds for him to clap a hand over his mouth and hide his face behind his fan, hunching over as his body shook. Any idiot could tell he was stifling laughter._

_'Bastard,' Karin thought, though she had expected this._

_"I'm serious, Urahara," she said, firmly. He shook even harder and she felt her blood boil. "Are you going to fucking help me or not?"_

_"Kurosaki-chan," he replied, sobering up and straightening in an instant, "what exactly do you want _me_ to do?"_

_"Oh, don't give me that crap," she hissed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms defiantly. "Everyone in my family knows the kind of shady dealings you do behind the scenes – fake identities and forged papers. You can't pull one over my eyes."_

_Urahara was strongly tempted to grab the rim of her cap and pull it down over her eyes, just to prove her wrong. But he resisted._

_"Alright," he said instead. "What exactly did you have in mind?"_

_Karin blinked rapidly, as if she hadn't expected him to relent so easily._

_"Oh, um, I wanted you to create a new identity for me. Someone old enough to be a part of the draft," she explained. "The military won't bother looking too closely at one of their soldiers as long as they get someone to fight." The disgust in her voice was prominent._

_"Boy or girl?" he asked, jokingly._

_"Boy," she answered without hesitation. He raised his eyebrows. "It'll be easier to keep my true identity a secret if I change as much as possible," she explained her reasoning hastily, avoiding his gaze. He smirked._

_"Right. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that your father was put in charge of an all-boys training camp." He whistled innocently when she glared over at him. "You _do_ realize there will be complications? I mean, you're a sixteen year old girl..."_

_"Why don't you let _me_ handle that?" Karin said, blushing. "I just need you to help me with the technical stuff, okay?"_

_"Fine, fine. Why don't we step into the back room?" he suggested. "We can hardly talk about this standing by the front door of my _wonderful_ store."_

_"What's the point? It's not like you get any customers," he heard her mumble, though she followed him nonetheless. He pretended he hadn't heard her, instead humming very loudly as he skipped to one of the many rooms in the back of the shop._

_He plopped himself down on the mats and she reluctantly did the same, eyeing him suspiciously. With a small, secret chuckle, he reached into the folds of his kimono and pulled out a black notebook, hardly bigger than his palm, and from his hat he pulled out a pen. Karin gazed at him incredulously as he flipped to a fresh page._

_"Let's begin, shall we?" he said._

_She looked up at him in disguised shock. She had expected more questions, more interrogation. But, then again, this was Urahara. He was different from most._

_"What are we doing back here, anyway?" she asked him curiously, again gazing at the notebook._

_"Well, you can't just expect me to whip up a whole new identity out of thin air, can you?" he shot right back. "Silly Kurosaki. Just like your brother."_

_"Can we just get on with this?" she cut through harshly, feeling her cheeks flame. Why was this man so good at making everyone feel like an idiot?_

_"Right-o," he retorted. "Now, I'm assuming you just want me to create you a draft letter, correct?"_

_She nodded. "One just like Ichi-nii's, except not his name."_

_He nodded, enthusiastically taking notes. "And same issued number..." he mumbled. When she gave him a confused look, he grinned cheerfully. "And just what do you think's going to happen when "your brother" – more like "his number" – doesn't show up for his duty? We don't really want the army making a spectacle at the Kurosaki home, now do we? It might scare the neighbors a bit."_

_"Right." She nodded seriously. Thank Kami this man was smarter than he looked or acted._

_"Age..." He eyed her closely, then scribbled. "18 is all we're going to be able to get away with. Even that is stretching it a bit far. Thankfully, your birthday passed before the draft ended, too, so that story will match up."_

_"We're keeping the same birthday?" she asked._

_He looked up in surprise. "Is there any reason to change it? No one is going to know who you are or were, anyway. And you can't expect Ichigo to be smart enough to check the army for his runaway sister."_

_She cringed at the word "runaway," but nodded._

_"What name?" he finally asked her. She paused, pondering it; the first thought that entered her mind was her newest little cousin, now several years old and adorable._

_"...Hikaru," she found herself saying. "Kurosaki Hikaru." There was no need to change her family name. Besides, no matter what she said, she was proud of it._

_He raised an eyebrow but nodded and jotted it down anyway. Then, with a grin, he snapped his little notebook shut._

_"Okay," he sang. "That should do it! Leave the rest to me, Kurosaki-_kun._" He gazed down at her meaningfully, his lips quirked in an amused smirk. "Tessai will enter your new files into the government's database – birth certificate, citizenship, medical records. I'll have this done by next Sunday. Come around then."_

**.. ღ ..**

_She came next Saturday. Just as she had expected, he was already done._

_'Bastard,' she thought angrily as she left his shop that afternoon, stuffing the files under her jacket._

_"Good luck, Kurosaki-san!" he called out cheerfully from his porch behind her. When she turned back to glare, he only grinned and waved his fan at her._

_'I'm not gonna let him get to me,' she thought determinedly. With a huff, she whipped her head back around and kept on walking._

_With surprising ease, she smuggled the papers into the house. Ichigo was out and Yuzu was distracted in the kitchen, meaning she easily flew up the stairs and into her room without being stopped and questioned. With a relieved sigh, she slipped the files under her mattress, anticipating the day she would need them._

_Following her scheming, the days dragged on, trudging by more slowly every day she had to keep the secret from her family. Her throat constricted every time Yuzu sent her one of her famous, innocent smiles, or whenever Ichigo ruffled her hair affectionately._

_'I'm doing this for them,' she had to remind herself constantly. 'It's okay if they lose me, as long as they still have each other.'_

_With that mindset, she made it through the torture,ready to face _anything_ to protect her family and her planet. And when the day arrived that she had to leave, she did so with a fiery determination._

_That morning, Yuzu left the house to go grocery shopping, and Ichigo had left early to go to work. When she heard the front door snap shut behind her twin sister, Karin leaped off the couch and bounded upstairs. She extracted an old suitcase from her closet – something she had buried under piles and piles of clothes to hide from Yuzu. She pulled it open on her bed and half-heartedly threw in any clothes she could get her hands on. Over the years she had accumulated a fair amount of men's clothing, and she could only huff in relief when she gazed briefly at her packed things and found to her satisfaction that it truly looked like a young, male recruit's suitcase._

_With her luggage and papers in hand, she stomped down the stairs, dropping everything in the living room. There was just one thing left to do._

_Her steps echoed as she scurried into the empty clinic attached to her home. Ever since her father had left, it had been out of business. She and Yuzu helped others when they could, but they were not fully qualified to operate a medical clinic._

_Her hands brushed the shelves, patting at the boards as she searched. Her fingers collided with a tough plastic, and with a smirk, she pulled down a small box, filled to the brim with bandages. She discarded her shirt and unrolled one. After a brief pause, she swiftly and expertly rolled it around her already flat chest. When one roll ran out, she reached for another, and soon, she had applied enough to give her body the appearance of a smooth log. She examined herself in a nearby mirror with her shirt back on and smirked in satisfaction._

_'Just like a boy.'_

_Hastily, she grabbed as many rolls of bandages as she could carry in her arms to the living room, where she threw them into her suitcase, completing her packing. She zipped it up and left behind her note._

_And then, suddenly, she was ready to go._

_'This is it...'_

_The single thought ran through her head as she looked around her living room – the room she had grown up in, was so familiar with, and had never thought she would ever have to leave. She was finally leaving._

_To her complete humiliation, she felt her eyes sting._

_"No!" she said aloud, taking a shuddering breath and pursing her lips together. "You can't!" With that demand, she rubbed at her eyes with her arm. "You can do this," she commanded herself._

_With one last shaky breath, she scurried out, her belongings clutched tightly in her hands. She wouldn't look back as she left. She wouldn't be able to handle it. Closing the door shut behind her, she strode forward, feeling herself getting farther away from her home but refusing to turn around and acknowledge it. Which was why, while her childhood sanctuary disappeared from behind, all she did was run a hand through her unruly hair._

_'I need to go get a haircut.'_

**.. ღ ..**

_She gingerly stepped off the train until both her feet were planted firmly on the platform. With a tug, she dragged the luggage off beside her; it skipped over the height and landed on the concrete with a _thud_. The bustling travelers all around her scurried this way and that, but her eyes searched for someone a little more cleanly dressed and strict looking; a man dressed in a pressed suit stood off to the side of the ticket booth. Inhaling a deep breath for reassurance, she wandered over to him._

_"You the guy from the army?" she asked him. It was lucky for her that she had always been teased by all the girls in her school for having such a rough and low voice, because the way he looked down at her with a raised eyebrow told her it was the only thing saving her from being found out._

_"New recruit?" he grunted, and she held out her draft letter in response. He only took one look at it, grazing his eyes over the stamps and signatures, before he clumsily flipped through a thick notebook resting on the booth beside him._

_"Number 13410, eh?" he grumbled, consulting her letter, and with a dainty pen that seemed if it might snap under the heavy weight of his beefy hand, he crossed it off the list. "All right. Present and accounted for." He thrust the letter back into her hands. "Says here you were assigned to Ryou's camp." With an amused smirk, he jerked his thumb behind him, towards the gate. "Go through there. Your train is the one arriving in ten minutes. It'll take you where you need to go."_

_With a shrug, she strode past him, her bag clutched in her hand. While she'd been speaking with the official, a line of other recruits had gathered behind her, but she ignored them as she followed the path she was directed to. The area beyond the gate was the same as the one she had just left behind, except that it was almost deserted – no train had arrived yet. She took a seat on one of the benches and kept an eye on the clock hanging from the wall._

_As she waited, other young men wandered in, looking excited or nervous as they seated themselves. She took note of a few women, as well, whose determined expressions made it clear they were there to prove themselves. She felt a sudden rush of respect for them._

_One such woman plopped down into the seat next to her._

_"Would you be one of the recruits, also?" the woman questioned her suddenly, inclining her head slightly._

_She blinked, not having expected such an abrupt conversation. Not to mention, the girl spoke in a strangely formal manner._

_"Um, yeah," she answered, clearing her throat in an effort to hide its feminine quality._

_"I, as well," the stranger replied, nodding. She held out her hand. "I'm Kuchiki Rukia," she introduced herself, smiling._

_"Kurosaki Hikaru." She grabbed Rukia's hand and the two shook._

_"So, where are you headed off to?" Rukia wanted to know. Hikaru shrugged._

_"Don't know. The military man said I'm off to 'Ryou's camp.'"_

_Rukia smirked. "Ah, Ryou. Well, you'll certainly never have a dull moment there, I can assure you."_

_"What, you know him?" Hikaru cocked an eyebrow._

_"Yes." She chuckled. "Not well, per say. But I've had my fair share of conversations with him, and he's certainly an interesting character." She pursed her lips in thought. "Though I never quite understood his joining the army."_

_"Why is that? He a wuss, or something?"_

_Rukia laughed and shook her head. "Quite the opposite, actually. You'll understand when you meet him."_

_Hikaru shrugged, letting the matter drop. "Well, _how_ do you know this...Ryou?" she wanted to know._

_Her new friend flashed her a sad smile. "Family connections. Being a drafted soldier, I'd assumed you hadn't heard of the Kuchiki family before."_

_"What, you guys famous?" She scrutinized her, trying to remember if she'd ever seen this person in a movie or on television or in a magazine before._

_"In the army, yes," Rukia explained. "My older brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, is a rather famous commander with a legendary team. Any military personal will know of him. They've never failed a mission or even missed a target."_

_Hikaru whistled low. "Impressive."_

_"I suppose so." Her tone turned bitter. "Since the day he took me into the family, I've been expected to follow in his military greatness." She bit her lip, looking down. "That is partly the reason I am here now."_

_"What!" Hikaru exclaimed. Some soldiers looked over at her curiously, and she hurriedly lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. "That's so unfair! So, your brother's _making_ you go off into war? What an ass."_

_Eyes wide, Rukia frantically shook her hands in front of her chest. "No, no! I didn't mean anything of the sort. I would not be here if not for my own free will – I _chose_ to serve my country."_

_Hikaru relaxed at her words, her shoulders deflating. "Fine. As long as you had a choice."_

_Rukia smiled up at her shyly. "Thank you for worrying, though."_

_She grinned and patted her back. "No problem. What are friends for?"_

_When the train arrived not long after, the two had become well acquainted. Hikaru reluctantly stood off the bench, not ready to leave her friend so soon._

_"Well...I guess I'll be seeing you?" She awkwardly offered her hand for a shake goodbye. After all, there was no guarantee that the two _would _meet again; they were going off to war. Rukia looked at it thoughtfully before she grinned widely, leaped off the bench, and bounded into her for a hug._

_"Goodbye, Hikaru," she mumbled into her ear happily. "We will most _definitely_ meet again."_

_Hikaru beamed over to her before stepping onto her train, and the two friends parted._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_Yuzu's wails and sobs ran through the house, interrupted only when she sniffed deeply, and then picked up again. Ichigo was at a loss for what to do. He watched her with anguish in his own eyes, the paper in his hand crushed within his palm._

'Dear Ichi-nii and Yuzu,'_ it read,_ 'I'm sorry, but I have to do this. I can't tell you where I'm going, or even if I'll be okay, but please don't look for me. Karin.'

_Screwing his eyes shut tightly, Ichigo finally turned his head away, no longer able to bear watching his baby sister in so much pain. How could Karin do this? How could she just get up and leave when their family was already so broken? Couldn't she have thought of how much this would have hurt them?_

_"Yuzu," he finally murmured. He didn't know what to say, but he had to say something. "It...It's gonna be okay."_

_"No, it's not!" she choked out, wiping at her runny nose and peeking out at him from under her hands. Sweet, pacifist little Yuzu was glaring at him. "Karin-chan is...she's..."_

_Unable to finish, she gave into her tears. Ichigo didn't attempt to console her again._

**.. ****ღ ****..**

_Rukia breathed in deeply, steeling herself for the meeting she would have to endure. Hitching her long, black coat higher up her shoulders and holding the ends together, she shielded herself from the cold winds whipping at her. There was no way to save her face, however, and she could feel her cheeks going numb, no doubt flushed red already. Oh, well. Her mission was too important to deter because of simply some bad weather. She had faced worse._

_Her boots crunched as she walked through the snow that littered the ground, getting sprayed with slush. Darn. And they had been a present from her brother, too. Trying to control her irritation, she wandered down the path she had started on, keeping her eyes fixed on each house she passed._

_Her gloved hands tightened around her coat when she found her target. As she approached the front door of the house, her steps slowed, her fists hesitated knocking on the door._

_She hadn't really thought of what she would say at this point. Really, when she'd seen that familiar face on that poster, all she'd done was pack an overnight bag and fly straight here, to this small town, with her heart pounding in her ears. She hadn't paused to plan this out; all she'd known was that she perhaps knew the answer these people so desperately sought, and holding back that information was not an option. And now she was here. So, why back out when she had come all this way?_

_With a sigh, she finally thumped the back of her hand against the wood of their front door._

_There were no sounds of bounding footsteps or any scuffling, but the door just suddenly creaked open. She didn't jump or even flinch, used to surprises after such long years of brutal training. On the other side stood a young man, tall and lean with flaming _orange_ hair._

_'He's handsome,' she allowed herself to think. But all those good looks were hindered by just one feature: Those haunting, hollow eyes of a man without hope. 'Kami,' she prayed, 'please let me have come in time to save him.'_

_She swallowed and forced herself to meet his gaze._

_"Is this the Kurosaki residence?" she asked._

_"Depends," he replied roughly. "Who's asking?"_

_With a suppressed tremor, she answered, "I am Kuchiki Rukia. I -" And here she paused and licked her lips in hesitation, because it certainly didn't seem right to blurt out such a reckless declaration while standing on this man's _porch_._

_"Could we perhaps talk?" she finally asked, flitting her eyes past his figure, indicating she wanted entry. He hesitated, eyeing her suspiciously, but finally relented._

_She stepped inside gingerly, trying to be discrete in observing the decor while he took her coat for her and hung it on a nearby hook. It was such a neat and organized home, filled to the brim with pictures. Her heart leapt as she caught a glimpse of black hair; she peered at it closely, realizing it displayed an image of a cute, little girl beaming up at the camera. However, there were no recent pictures of her in sight to offer any clues as to what she might look like now._

_"Rukia."_

_She jumped as her name was suddenly called, and when she looked over her shoulder, she found the orange haired man watching her solemnly._

_"We'll talk in the living room," he said, pointing to it and walking towards it at the same time._

_Irritation bubbled up inside of her almost immediately. Who was this man to call her so familiarly? She had just met him, and she didn't even know his name! The nerve of some people. If her brother were to hear of this, he would keel over in shock._

_With a poorly suppressed glare, she followed him, seating herself reservedly on the couch._

_"I've come here today to deliver some very important news to the Kurosaki family," she stated. "You wouldn't tell me at the door, but am I to assume that you are a Kurosaki?"_

_He sent her a slightly amused glance – the only expression she had yet to see on his face other than his sullen one._

_"Why are you talking like that?" he asked her with almost humor. "All formal, I mean. It's weird. Just talk normally."_

_Her lips parted in surprise. She could never! Why, her Nii-sama would have a conniption if he ever heard of it. She was a proper lady, no matter how much war she had seen. Right?_

_"To answer your question,' he went on, ignorant of her inner dilemma, "yes, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo."_

_She nodded primly._

_"Ichigo." She tried it on her tongue. If he would call her by her given name, then so would she. "I've come here today," she went on sullenly, "to talk about something very...well, odd, I think describes it. I can't think of any other word."_

_He raised an eyebrow, the only sign to show he seemed interested. Otherwise, his eyes had hardened and his face was tight again._

_"It's about this..."_

_Hesitantly, she dug out a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her trousers. She pulled apart the three folds she had made to make it easier to carry, smoothing it out as best as she could. Then, she gulped and carefully handed it to him._

_His eyes skimmed over the contents with a bored expression. He seemed to take a moment to absorb the material presented before him, and then, he froze. Completely still._

_The word 'Missing' was boldly typed across the top in obnoxious, capital letters. Underneath it was an enlarged picture of a young girl, no older than a teen, scowling darkly at the camera – a startling contrast to that little girl captured in the frame by the front entrance._

_His eyes immediately flickered to his guest. She was biting her lip, watching him expectantly._

_"Do you know?" he whispered to her, his eyes anguished. She looked away._

_"I...I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I'm pretty sure -"_

_"Where is she!" he demanded, and suddenly, he lunged at her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Tell me!"_

_"Ichigo," she said sharply, breaking away from his grip. She just couldn't meet those pained eyes knowing she was about to disappoint him. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."_

_He sucked in a pained breath, leaning away as his lips thinned._

_"Then, why are you here?" he finally asked, his jaw set._

_She was back to gnawing at her lips in anxiety. "Something strange happened to me just this past year," she told him. "An encounter with a young boy." She saw that she once again had his attention and continued, "We were both enlisted in the army and waiting for the trains to take us to camp. He introduced himself as Kurosaki Hikaru."_

_She didn't miss the way he jumped, and her eyes narrowed._

_"Does that name mean anything to you?" she questioned._

_"Hikaru's our cousin," he explained. "She was born a few years back. We lived with her family for a while after my dad was drafted."_

_Rukia nodded. "Well, we became friends, Hikaru and me, even in just ten minutes. Of course, with war, there weren't many chances to meet, and -" She broke off, her lower lip trembling. "Just a few months back, I received word that he was...captured...by the enemy and taken away."_

_"I'm sorry," Ichigo mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. He had never been good at giving comfort, so he didn't quite know what to say._

_She breathed deeply and shook her head. "It's been a while since I've seen him," she continued as if she'd never paused – it was rather impressive, "but even now, I still remember him. He was _definitely_ male – I was sure of it."_

_Her gaze wandered off to her memories, her expression curiously skeptical. Ichigo eyed her in confusion, not quite understanding the message she was trying to convey._

_"What's this about?" he asked. "And what does this have to do with my sister?"_

_"Ichigo, I-I know this might be difficult to hear," Rukia began hesitantly, "but I'm trying to say that...that girl –_ Karin_," - she pointed to the wanted poster – "is the Hikaru I know."_

_He stared at her blankly, but she continued._

_"I didn't want to believe it," she said. "I _didn't_ believe it when I first saw the picture, but they look exactly the same, despite the different hair, and I don't understand how she could have made it into the army at that age or even _why_, but..." She breathed in deeply, her gaze confident as she met his eyes. "That was her."_

* * *

**Yay, an update! Finally, we see the Kurosaki family.**

**Oh, by the way - Ichigo's issued number? Those are the three divisions I think I would want to be in _most _if I was in Soul Society - 13, 4, and 10. 13 because Ukitake's kick-ass, and Kiyone and Sentarou are hilarious. 4 because Hanatarou's adorable :D And 10 because, _duh, _Hitsugaya and Matsumoto ;) But I think 11 and 8 would be cool, too. What about you guys?**


	13. Chapter 13

***Sigh* ****Sorry ****for ****taking ****so ****long ****to ****update, ****but ****I ****had ****this ****crazy ****thing ****called ****"college ****applications" ****get ****in ****the ****way. ****I ****hope ****I'll ****be ****forgiven ****because ****of ****sympathy, ****because ****y'all ****know ****what ****that's ****like. ****And ****if ****you ****don't...you ****will. ****Thankfully, ****I ****should ****be ****completely ****finished ****up ****with ****those ****this ****week.**

**Disclaimer: ****I ****do ****not ****own ****Bleach ****or ****any ****of ****its ****characters.**

* * *

She places a hand against her mouth tightly, leaning over the basin. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tries to breathe deeply through her mouth, wheezing slightly with the effort and feeling strangely breathless. Her bare skin feels cool against the marble of the sink, but she ignores the discomfort, instead gazing at herself through the mirror hung above.

Two months now she has gone without bleeding, after eleven months of trying and trying and _trying_. Although Toushiro asks her daily about her well-being and progress, she has yet to tell him of her first missed month in fear of it being a false conclusion – and now this is the second. She places a gentle hand against her abdomen, gazing down at it tenderly. Could this possibly be...?

Stepping back and ignoring her discarded robe on the floor by her feet, she turns to the side and evaluates herself in the mirror. With a delicate finger, she traces the bumps on her chest. Are they bigger? She has yet to see a significant change as of yet, but they feel heavier – or maybe that is her own wish. And her desire for her husband – her _need_ to touch him and cuddle him and be near him – had been increasing every day, though she normally keeps a firm check on her intimate emotions, especially in public. He, of course, is more than happy to oblige when she asks and sees nothing wrong, but having been a nurse for so long, she can notice the signs. The nausea and fatigue have yet to set in because she has always had a strong bearing over her body, but she is staying wary of both.

The second her suspicions had set in not long after that first month, she had immediately made just the smallest shifts in her lifestyle. Matsumoto had gladly bought soft brushes and soothing cleansers on her request during one of her trips to town. She hadn't wanted to take any chances of harming herself or the delicate life inside of her in _any_ way, so she'd kept applying pressure on her skin at a minimum, even when bathing. She'd also been keeping close tabs on her diet, eating just the right amount for a woman of her size and weight, though it had_ killed_ her to refuse those usual fourth helpings. Toushiro had thought _that_ to be weird, but had yet to comment on it, knowing she had a right to her own devices. That keen sense of his sometimes makes her want to just kiss him _senseless_...Or maybe that is just the new changes in her body.

With a shaky sigh, she crouches down and pulls on her robe again, tying her sash with slippery fingers. Not long ago, she had contacted Soi-Fon from the Leoan army, as the woman is still on the Earth planet, though she had been stationed to a different continent after their attempted peace with the Scandinavian area. Though she loves Serra Leoa to bits, she also knows that they are too far behind the times technologically to provide her with all the comforts she needs while with child, as Earth would. And so, she had begrudgingly requested that the hardened female soldier please buy her a few pregnancy tests from her home planet and deliver them to the palace. Although she feels that her own musings are accurate, she will not take the chance of telling Toushiro and possibly crushing his hopes in the future without consulting more than her own opinion. Now all she has to do is wait.

Fully dressed, she exits the bathroom and her bedroom, deciding she would prefer to sit with in the gardens. Her gaze flickers out the large palace windows and, once catching sight of the bright sky and miles of greenery, the existence of her secret suddenly conjures up an absolutely _enchanting_ image; she sees herself seated in one of the lawn chairs in the palace gardens, a small, drooling infant cradled in her arms, and watches as a delighted Toushiro lovingly chases after their toddler, who keeps crawling farther and farther into the trees. For the second time, a hand flies to her abdomen, and as she pats it, a smile touches her lips.

She has never been so _happy_ with her cycle.

**.. ღ ..**

_"Hikaru?"_

_"Don't come here!" he screeched, crawling closer towards the far end of the cell, where the shadows clouded his entire figure. Toushiro craned his neck with concern, trying to see through the cell bars and discover why his friend was acting so strange._

_"Just leave!" Hikaru screamed._

_Toushiro's brow furrowed for a second and he shook his head before picking at the lock. Once the door swung open, he strode in quickly, worry etched onto his face._

_"What's wrong?" he asked carefully, slowing his steps as his eyes narrowed, attempting to peer through the darkness._

_"How many times do I have to tell you to leave before you understand I don't want you here?" Hikaru snarled._

_Toushiro recoiled, rather hurt by his harsh tone. But, pushing that aside, he marched towards him, determined to help his friend now that he finally had one._

_"I refuse to leave until I know that you are all right," he insisted firmly. "Now, tell me what is wrong."_

_Hikaru scoffed. "Don't go all chummy on me now," he said sarcastically. "We're just conditional friends, remember? You're only supposed to visit, but I don't want you here, so you're off the hook. In fact, don't come back for the rest of the week. Buh-bye."_

_Toushiro didn't miss the slight tremors in his voice as he tried to keep up the indifferent, mocking front. Ignoring his protests, he finally marched straight into the shadows, crouching to examine him closely. What he saw, however, sent him into a panic._

_"Hikaru. Blood!" He gaped at the smeared red on the floor, and his eyes followed the trail to his friend's stained clothing. "From your trousers?"_

_Hikaru immediately turned a deep pink. He sucked in a deep breath, preparing himself for a harsh chew out of some sort. But it never came. When he dared to crack open one eye and peek at him, he realized to his absolute astonishment that the usually hot-headed prisoner had not turned pink from anger, but from…_embarrassment?_ Hikaru was blushing! For some reason, it made him feel hot and bothered, too._

_"I-It's nothing to w-worry about," Hikaru stuttered, refusing to meet his eyes. He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, looking off to the side. "It started this morning. Probably just an old wound, or something,"_

_"But, then we have to get it tended to right away," Toushiro exclaimed. After a moment's thought, he carefully slipped off the royal haori he wore atop his clothing and held it out to him. "We can use this for temporary bandages," he explained. "Here. Remove your trousers."_

_Well, Hikaru turned absolutely red at that. "What?" he squawked, his eyes popping out._

_"Your bottoms," Toushiro attempted again, sliding a little closer and reaching out his hands. "Let me see."_

_"You…you pervert!" the prisoner screeched, desperately kicking his legs to slide farther back. His cheeks were tinted, his eyes boring into his._

_Toushiro was taken aback. "How does attempting to help my friend make me a lecher?" he demanded angrily. He had only been trying to help._

_"I'll tell you why!" Hikaru roared, and his face twisted into shame and rage. "'Cause I'm a _girl_, damn it! Now, _give me that_" – she snatched the haori from his hands roughly – "and _turn around!_" He gabbed him roughly by the shoulders and forcefully spun him to face the opposite wall. Both their faces were burning furiously._

_Toushiro knew about female cycles – the times when they bled because they had not been with child. His maid, Matsumoto, frequently complained about hers to avoid work, enjoying that it made him squeamish. He had just never…_witnessed_ one. And he had never wanted to._

_To his horror, he felt an intense heat rise to his neck as he heard Hikaru rip his haori into bandages, followed by rustling sounds. Oh, good Lord! He was in the same room as a woman who had removed her trousers! He did not know hi _–her –that_ well._

_"Just don't look," Hikaru warned suddenly, and he had to force himself not to jump. He did, however, feel his face flinch._

_Mumbling incoherent words and hoping that would suffice for her, he placed a hand over his steaming face. Thankfully, she didn't say anything more to him. But, too soon for his health, she was informing him that she was done._

_"You can turn around now," she mumbled, scuffing her toe against the ground in shame. Her soiled trousers had been discarded, and she had used his covering to tie a makeshift skirt to her hips. A blush blossomed on his cheeks as he eyed her skinny legs – prickly from her time in prison and depraved of any meat, but definitely female._

_He noticed pieces of his haori still lying in the corner and swallowed a thick lump forming in his throat as he tried not to think about exactly where the remainder rested._

_"So..." he began awkwardly, "you are a woman?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "I already said that, didn't I?" she snapped._

_His eyes flashed. "Do not speak to me that way after all the lies you've fed me," he thundered. "I will not just take this lightly -"_

_"I never _lied_ to you!" she argued. "I never _said_ I was a man; you just assumed!"_

_"And yet you felt no need to correct me," he retorted icily._

_"Oh, of course the _mighty_ Prince was no way in the wrong," she drawled sarcastically. "If it was anyone's fault, it was someone below him, huh? You know what, Toushiro? Just go." Huffing, she crossed her arms and looked away._

_Toushiro felt a little embarrassed when he realized that he was always leaving the cell by stomping away in a fury, but that's what he did again. He didn't have to listen to this , and if she didn't want him around – fine. However, though he marched straight past the tattered clothing on the ground, his anger sizzled out and paused when he was standing directly beside her._

_"I'll, uh, bring you some fresh bandages tomorrow," he mumbled, his face burning._

_"Thanks," she muttered, equally embarrassed._

_And then he left as fast as he could while still maintaining just the slightest air of dignity._

**.. ღ ..**

_"I can't believe you've been making friends behind my back!" Matsumoto squealed. "I never thought I'd see the day."_

_"Matsumoto," he reprimanded, "I've already _told_ you about the special circumstances regarding this matter, so do not take it lightly." His eyes flickered around nervously as he eyed their surroundings. "And keep your voice down," he hissed. "We do not need the guards catching us."_

_Nodding seriously, his maid tightened the hold she had on the basket clutched to her chest. She made the motion of a zipper running across her lips, but there was still an excited bounce to her steps._

_Immediately after returning from Hikaru's cell the previous day, he'd sought her out. There was no one else he could trust to keep his secret for him...Well, actually, he _still_ wasn't sure he could trust _her_ either to keep her mouth shut completely during her drunken stupors, but she was the best choice he had. She'd thought the story was so damn hilarious, though. She'd laughed so hard as he had recounted the revealing of her true gender that she'd rolled off the bed, laughing even after she'd painfully thudded to the floor._

_"That's so awkward!" she'd wheezed. "I can't b-believe y-you..." That was all she'd managed before she'd snorted into laughter again. But, she'd sobered up when he'd asked her of his favor; he knew nothing extensive about females and their...needs...and so he needed an experienced woman to help the poor girl trapped in that cell. Her delicate situation required them to be serious, as this could be both embarrassing and dangerous._

_"Tell me, Hitsugaya-sama," she said slyly now as they trudged towards the back entrance of the prison. "Is she pretty?"_

_He froze at the question. Hikaru..._pretty?_ He'd never thought about it. She'd always been a boy in his eyes, so of course he'd never looked at her that way. And maybe the fact that he'd never been the wiser was answer enough, though he felt horrible just thinking it._

_"She's all right," he replied awkwardly, resuming his walk with unease. What else was he supposed to say without completely humiliating her? Matsumoto, however, seemed to realize his thoughts and the error in her question, so she just pursed her lips and nodded. He was beyond relieved that she had enough tact to drop it._

_"It's through here," he informed the maid gruffly, sliding through the back door of the prison – the same door he had taken Hikaru through that day he'd given his friend the present of sunlight. That hadn't been the only time, either. Matsumoto followed him quietly, going as far as to stand on the very tips of her toes. He rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm, but didn't berate her for it – being over cautious was a good thing in this situation._

_When they arrived at that same small cell he had grown familiar with, he peered through the darkness, as usual. There she was, seated in one of the corners with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She looked exhausted, and he wondered whether her worrying had prevented her from getting any sleep the previous night._

_He coughed to announce his presence._

_"Toushiro?" she questioned, snapping her head up and leaning her face out to peer at him._

_He nodded. "How are you doing?" he asked, and then cringed. Was that what he was _supposed_ to ask? Apparently not, as Hikaru rolled her eyes heavily._

_"What do you think?" she snapped. Beside him, Matsumoto giggled, and the prisoner immediately set her sights on the woman._

_"Who's she?" she demanded angrily, suddenly defensive. It was obvious she hadn't expected him to tell anyone._

_"This is Matsumoto," he introduced her. "She's my maid."_

_Her eyes immediately flew to the overly large chest falling out of the woman's top, and when her eyes snapped back to him, there was a disgust in her sneer. He felt heat flame up his face. It wasn't like that!_

_"She's just my maid," he defended himself. "And she'll help you."_

_Hikaru threw her a dirty look, and Matsumoto deflated slightly under it._

_"No thanks," the prisoner sneered. "I don't need some floozy's help. Just go."_

_He felt rage creep up his spine. "You will _not_ speak to Matsumoto that way," he hissed dangerously. Both women looked at him in surprise, but he continued. "You will not speak to her, _period_. Just keep your mouth shut and let her do her job."_

_He nodded over to the stunned maid, beckoning her over. She broke out of her trance and scurried over to the entrance of the cell. His hands glowed green as they normally did when he visited, and the cell door swung open._

_"I'll be waiting outside," he said, and rushed out. Closing his eyes, he ignored the harsh cries of, "Hey, get off me, you bimbo!" and Matsumoto's protests. It wouldn't be wise to get into a women's squabble. With determination, he shut the door behind him and tried to pretend he had never heard their arguing. He just hoped Matsumoto would forgive him for this._

_He stood outside, settling down under the shade of a tree as he waited for his maid to appear once again. The door stood still, however, and began fidgeting as he waited. A few minutes passed by, and then more, and then more..._

_Suddenly, he started to grow anxious. What could possibly be taking her so long? It couldn't take so long to change bandages, could it? Granted, he didn't know much about women and their needs, but the maids in his palace were always scurrying about, never letting anything delay their tasks. And Hikaru was very vicious. As he was contemplating going in there himself and risking complete humiliation from the scene he could possibly see, the door swung open. A haggard looking Matsumoto stumbled out, her basket in her hand, though she looked pleased with herself._

_"All done!" she announced. "Kami, she's a handful." And then she winked suggestively at him. "But _definitely_ a girl."_

_He felt a blush creep onto his cheeks. Damn Matsumoto! She always knew how to make him squirm. Trying to save face, he cleared his throat loudly and took a closer look at her instead._

_"Are those..._bite marks?_" he questioned with incredulity._

_She blinked. "...Oh! Yes." She held up her arm for emphasis. "She's a feisty one all right. But we're all done. Just don't bring me back here, 'kay?"_

_He groaned and rubbed at his eyes but still nodded. "Shall we get going, then?"_

_She looked at him surprise. "Don't you want to go visit with your friend?"_

_His brows furrowed. He still hadn't let go of her degrading comments toward Matsumoto. "No," he finally said, beginning the walk up to the palace as the maid rushed after him. "I've had _enough_ of her for today."_

**.. ღ ..**

"I could never get enough of you..."

"Oh, Aito-kun..."

The two kiss passionately, and Orihime places a tissue against her nose and blows hard. A few tears leak from her red eyes as she dabs at them.

"How wonderful," she says with a sniffle. "A happy ending."

He sits at her side, stiff and unhappy. Not even two hours ago, Orihime had voiced her boredom, and of course the maid had speedily procured the most mushy and gooey-romantic book she had in her possession. And now she sits on the bed with them, reading the last of its pages to an eager and not so eager audience. He has no choice but to endure, as neither woman seems willing to do much else but blubber over the crap content of their novel.

"Don't you think so, Ulquiorra-san?" Orihime asks excitedly, turning to him and smiling. Oh, great. She just _has_ to bring him into this.

He only looks at her blankly, refusing to voice his opinions. She purses her lips, immediately understanding his true feelings from his lack of a reaction, and turns away to act as if the question had never been asked. He appreciates it.

"Well, I think that was a _wonderful_ bedtime story," she says cheerfully to Matsumoto, who beams. "You'll have to read to us again sometime. Perhaps...perhaps something with a bit more action, to suit Ulquiorra-san's tastes?" she suggests quietly, shyly.

The maid frowns. "I don't know if I have any of those," she says thoughtfully, scratching her head. "I'd have to check."

Inoue nods enthusiastically. "Maybe Miss Karin would like to hear one as well," she says.

Matsumoto chuckles. "Maybe. They say the arts are wonderful for a baby, and I'm sure Hitsugaya-sama would love to have her off of his hands now that's she's hit the eighth month mark and can't control her mood swings once again."

Orihime makes a face. "Don't say it like that. That sounds awful."

The maid laughs heartily. "Well, I didn't _mean_ it like that, so you needn't worry. I'm only saying that I'm sure he's got his hands full."

She giggles in return. "I've never thought he particularly _minded_," she jokes. "But maybe you're right. We'll have to be sure to invite her next time. Right, Ulquiorra-san?"

He only stares blankly at her again, and she grimaces and takes his hand in her own, realizing he is really not happy right now. Matsumoto eyes their joined hands with a mischievous little smile, obviously enjoying the show of affection. He glares at the woman.

"Well, I'll be heading out, then," she states quickly, catching sight of his glower. "Goodnight, Miss Orihime, Ulquiorra-san." The door snap shuts behind her before the two can blink.

"That was odd," Orihime comments. He grunts but does not reply, instead squeezing her hand tighter. She blushes at the gesture, still unused to him finally returning her small shows of affection. It had taken months of pursuing him for them to reach this stage. She had never thought herself so bold before, but she'd been unwilling to let him slip through her fingers.

"Do you think Miss Karin's baby will be all right?" she asks, trying to act like she is not bothered one bit by the heat she can feel creeping up her neck. "I mean, Serra Leoa doesn't have medical advancements. On Earth a birth is sanitary and safe."

"Our people have our own way of ensuring a baby's security," he replies with his monotone. "Otherwise, we would have been extinct long ago. Healers working at this palace have delivered royal babies for generations, and they've all been healthy. Hitsugaya-sama is an example."

"But..." She bites her lip. "He had..._white hair_."

"That was a trait passed down from his family, not some birthing defect as you are thinking," he reassures her.

She nods happily, content with the answer. "I wonder what the baby will look like." Putting a finger to her lips, she tries to ponder the appearance of the newborn. However, a sudden thought hits her instead, and she gasps. "This will be the first Leoan-human baby, won't it?" she realizes.

"Yes," he answers, grimacing at the foreign thought.

She squeals, clapping her hands joyfully. "Oh, how wonderful! I can't wait. This will show the world that the Leoans and humans _can_ get along!"

"Don't forget," he cuts across, "that some might call the queen biased."

She waves an airy hand. "She's a human too, isn't she?" she reasons. "How can she be biased against anyone when _she_ is human and her _husband_ is a Leoan? If anything, she's on both sides." She pauses to think and then grins up at him happily, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Actually, now, I guess I am too."

"Are you really no longer scared of us?" he wants to know.

Grinning, she shakes her head. "And I really think that the rest of Earth won't be either, if they only got to know you."

"Our history with them hasn't been very convincing," he points out. "They might only view this baby as a fluke of sorts – an oddity."

"Well then," she says furiously, "we just need another Leoan-human baby to prove -" She cuts herself off. Looking at him and then down at herself, she realizes she is the only other human on this planet and the implications of her words, and then flushes furiously. "I didn't mean it like that!" she cries, waving her arms in front of her in defense.

He does not reply, enjoying her floundering. Instead, he takes her hand again and takes note of the weariness in her eyes. "Orihime," he says, "we should be getting ready to...sleep."

He purposely substitutes another word for _"bed"_ for her sake.

Letting go of her hand, he stands up promptly and briskly strides towards the door. She follows after him, leaning in the doorway as he exits and then turns to face her.

She smiles. "Sleep well."

"You too," he returns stoically. And then, he leans down and kisses her cheek, striding away soon after and leaving her with a furious blush on her cheeks.

**.. ღ ..**

_It took him days to finally feel like he could civilly visit her again. By that time, Matsumoto had pestered him to go about five times a day, and he was reaching the breaking point of his anger as he trudged down the palace halls and through the thickly populated gardens. Grumbling, he strode through the prison door._

_"How would you feel about going to get lunch?" he heard a voice from inside, and he suddenly held his breath and dove behind a wall. There were guards here! They were supposed to be on their break by now!_

_"Ikkaku," someone drawled, "we have a duty to complete. You know Aizen-sama wants us to increase security here for these next couple of months."_

_"But I'm hungry," the one named Ikkaku grumbled._

_"When are you not hungry?" the other one snapped._

_"When I've eaten," was the snide remark. "We haven't had a break all morning. Can't we go for just a little while? This is usually our lunch break."_

_His companion sighed deeply. "_Fine_. But if we go, you'll have to buy extra and bring it back with you. We can't go running off to eat every time you get hungry or else we'd never be here. And I don't need Aizen-sama thinking we're disobeying his orders."_

_His voice drifted down the hall as the two made their way to the entrance at the other end of the hall. The heavy door scraped against the floor as it opened and then clanged shut._

_Toushiro let out the breath he had been holding, peeking out from his hiding place. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought about what he had heard. Disregarding the pleas for lunch, he couldn't help but ponder over his stepfather's orders. What need could he have for increasing security? Until recently, it had been very relaxed, allowing him to sneak in and out without getting detected. Unless..._

_His heart clenched in fear. Unless more prisoners were coming. Unless they were finally ready to do something with the prisoners. Unless Hikaru would soon be taken away from him, put to use as some sort of scapegoat in the king's plans. That was what always happened to prisoners around here, to showcase the kingdom's powers. His head swirled with the memories of cruel beatings and hangings and jeering._

_Feeling sick to his stomach as an image of Hikaru's decapitated head rolled through his mind, he scurried over to the girl's prison. Peering in, he saw her seated against the wall in the same pose she had been when they had first met – when he had mistaken her for an arrogant man. There were no bandages in sight now, and he knew Matsumoto had made countless visits to clean her up during her cycle, despite the outcome of the first visit. He blushed furiously as he realized she was now wearing one of his pants, faded from the years and matching the color her own clothes had been before they were defiled._

_"So you finally decided to show up, huh?" she spat out in a rough voice, turning her head to glare at him. Her lips were puckered as if she had tasted something sour. It made her sharp nose wrinkle in a rather cute manner._

_He cleared his throat. "I thought it might give you enough time to cool off." As he said this, he warily eyed her figure, trying to see any signs of scratches or scars, to check if Aizen had tried anything on her yet. She seemed the same, albeit a little dirtier._

_"_Cool off?_" she repeated with a scoff. "_Me_? Just _what_ is that supposed to mean? Weren't you the one who threw a bitchy hissy fit and ignored me for the past week?"_

_"I would not have had to throw a..._hissy fit_...if you had not been so disrespectful to Matsumoto," he replied coldly._

_She smirked. "Oops, my mistake. Didn't know your whore meant so much to you."_

_His eyes flashed dangerously. "_Shut your fucking mouth_," he snarled. "You will _not_ speak of her that way after she has helped you all this week. I'll _cut out_ that foul tongue of yours next time."_

_She coolly gazed away, ignoring his heavy breathing. "Fine," she said with a sniff. "She was helpful enough. I'll apologize next time I see her if it means that much to you, but don't expect me to watch my mouth every time you don't like something I have to say."_

_He huffed. "I'm not asking you to change," he argued. "But she's like my...second mother."_

_Something flickered through her eyes at those words, passing so quickly that he hardly had time to decipher it, but it looked like guilt. The subject of mothers had hit her hard, right in her conscience._

_"All right, all right," she snapped, trying to pass off that look. "I got it. An apology's at the top of my list."_

_He relaxed. "Good." Feeling a tad more cheerful, he picked the lock and strode in, taking a seat next to her. "Now that I remember," he continued, pressing his lips into a thin, grim line, "do you know anything about the guards changing their schedules? Has anything changed recently?"_

_She scowled. "Well, _Aizen_ came here not long ago. Lucky for that maid of yours she'd slipped out right before, or he would have caught her in my cell."_

_"Did he do anything?" he asked cautiously._

_"Only looked around a bit," she recalled. "Had that pompous look on his face too. Then he took the guards out to talk to 'em." She glanced at him sharply. "Do you know something?"_

_"No," he replied, shaking his head thoughtfully. "But be on the lookout. He might be up to something."_

_She nodded solemnly. "He's such an asshole," she muttered._

_"A first class bastard," he agreed._

_She looked at him in surprise. "You think so too?" she asked, and then beamed at him widely._

_He licked his lips and nodded. "I hate him," he added bitterly._

_She nodded along in agreement. "He thinks he's the greatest man to ever live, but he's just an ass," she spat out._

_"He thinks he is the most intelligent being to ever roam the universe, but he is only an idiot."_

_"He _thinks_ he's some powerful God, but I bet we could take him." She punched her fists at an imaginary opponent._

_"He thinks he is all-knowing, but _we_ are tricking him right under his watch."_

_She smirked. "We are, aren't we?" And then she laughed loudly, though it came out a little hoarse. "Well, that just goes to show how _"great"_ he _really_ is."_

_"Absolutely."_

_What a way to bond! But suddenly, he didn't mind sitting next to her, and she didn't seem to either. They grinned over at each other. Then, slowly, her face fell, and she hung her head to let her hair fall in front of her face._

_"Hey, Toushiro?" she muttered in a low voice. "...I'm sorry, okay?"_

_He looked at her in surprise._

_"For lying to you, I mean," she clarified. Then, she huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, technically, I didn't_ lie_ to you. You just assumed. But I guess I didn't really try too hard to correct you. Though I didn't mean for you to find out that way...Well, okay. I didn't mean for you to find out _at all_. But now that you have, I guess I do sort of owe you an apology for tricking you. So, I guess I -"_

_"Hikaru," he cut across her. She abruptly cut off her rambling and looked at him hopefully. "It...It's all right," he decided, letting his features soften just a little._

_Her eyes lit up. "Really?"_

_"Really," he confirmed, nodding. "Changing your gender does not change you. If you still wish it, I would be honored to keep visiting you."_

_She beamed brightly. "Of course! Thanks, Toushiro." She looked down suddenly."...Still, sorry for lying to you for all this time, though."_

_He shook his head. "There is no need to apologize to me anymore, Hikaru. I do not mind it any longer. After all, there are no more secrets between us, correct?"_

_"Righ -" She stopped mid sentence, clapping her hands over her mouth as something occurred to her. When she slowly pulled them away, he saw the sheepish grin covering her lips. "Oops," she said. "There's just one little thing I forgot to mention." He looked at her curiously – and a little cautiously – and she waved an airy hand, looking like she was trying her best to be casual. "No need to look so worried. It's nothing really major."_

_She extended her palm for a handshake and coughed awkwardly. "Nice to meet you. My real name's Karin."_

* * *

**So, I didn't want to go with the cliché where the guy falls in love with the girl in her disguise, and then drives himself crazy worrying he's gay :P Though it can be cute, there are already plenty of stories out there like that. Besides, her disguise was good enough to fool everyone in the army, so I don't think it would be logical for Toushiro to start noticing her feminine side after only a month...Well, that's just my view, anyway. And we all know they'll fall in love eventually :D Just be patient!**

**Oh, and I just wanted to mention one last thing. I hope you guys remember that this story is told in little snapshots. Though I've been going in order for a while, the present storyline is the same. There are scenes in the same chapter that take place at different times. I just wanted to clear that up, because the present timeline might be getting slightly contorted for a few of the future chapters.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

"_Otou-san? Okaa-san?"_

_A six-year-old Ryou cried out hopelessly, lost in the turmoil of the wreckage around him. Cold, biting wind whipped at him constantly, but he rubbed away his tears as he stumbled through the snow._

"_Otou-san! Okaa-san!"_

_He tried harder to maybe catch their attention, not knowing what else to do. He had no idea where he was and where _they_ were, and his head was spinning terribly. A warm liquid was running down his leg, and he winced as he noticed the deep gash in his leg, blood gushing from the wound at a frighteningly fast rate. His large eyes drooped as he wailed, balling up his fists and letting out a loud sob._

_They'd been driving home from dinner, but their usual path had been too encased in ice to be safe, so his father had cheerfully driven off to a different route. It was a narrow path on a steep hill and the snowstorm was rather strong, but it was still safer than the other route. They'd been driving safely and carefully, and he knew his father was an excellent driver, so there was no need to worry. Right?_

_But a sudden figure had lunged across their windshield and, in a sudden panic, his father had swerved the car. They'd plowed off the hill, rolling down until their car had stopped, and Ryou had managed to crawl out, but the darkness and snow was too strong for him to find who he was looking for._

"_Where are you, Otou-san, Okaa-san!" he called out through his tears and sniffles._

"_Somewhere where you can't find them, little boy," a slimy voiced cackled._

_His breath caught in fear, and he swung around furiously, trying to see through the darkness and snow storm. He came face-to-face with legs, and he followed them up until he was looking at a face. A terrifying, sadistic face that sneered once his eyes widened._

"_Who...Who are you?" he squeaked, shocked into halting his crying._

_The man laughed. It was a cruel sound._

"_I'm the man who killed your parents," he declared harshly, laughing again. Before Ryou could react, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him along._

"_Wh-where are you taking me?" he yelled out, too afraid to kick and try to pull free._

"_You wanted to see your precious Otou-san and Okaa-san, didn't you?" the man snapped. "Well, there they are."_

_He found himself being flung into a pile of snow head-first, and a sharp pain shot up his leg as he landed on it. But nothing compared to the terror that shot through him when he looked up to find a horrible mess of blood and metal twisted together right in front of him. Through the wreckage and wind in his eyes, he squinted and could make out two vague figures lying in the destroyed car._

_A large cry of pain erupted from him as he recognized the bloody corpses of his parents._

"_Otou-san! Okaa-san!"_

_Ignoring the pain in his leg and his hysterical sobs, he tried to crawl over to them, his arm outstretched. But the man grabbed him by the neck again._

"_Come on, brat," he spat out. "You're coming with me."_

_There was no strength in him to refuse, and he only gazed at his mother and father with lifeless eyes as his captor's hands glowed green and they walked through a gate that appeared from the sky._

**.. ღ ..**

"Karin?" Hitsugaya calls out cautiously as he enters their bedroom. His wife has been rather _touchy _again lately, what with the pregnancy contorting her hormones so viciously. Any words can set her on edge. Just the other day, she had screamed at him for the good part of an hour for referring to her as _"Karin_," rather than her proper title of _"Hitsugaya-sama_."

When he enters their room, however, he finds it empty, though the sounds of rushing water can be heard from the adjoining washroom. He sighs in relief – safe for now. With a weary sigh this time, he plops down on their bed, watching the bed sheet bunch up and defile the perfection it had been.

This pregnancy has been driving him crazy. Don't get him wrong. He's _ecstatic _about the baby, has been since he first heard the news. But Karin is such a passionate, headstrong person that her wild emotional moods have been too intense than what he had prepared himself to handle. Of course, he puts up with everything splendidly, because she's carrying his baby.

"Are you sure it's yours?" Matsumoto had teased him once with a snicker, but then he'd had the satisfaction of watching his wife chew her out in his place. She had kept the jokes to a minimum since.

The rushing water stops suddenly, and he listens to the sounds of his wife stepping out and her padding footsteps across their floor. The bed shifts angles as she sits, and then two arms wrap around his neck from behind.

"You're finally here," she whispers into his ear huskily.

"Not when you're this pregnant, Karin," he reprimands her. She clucks her tongue and pulls away.

"I don't know what's got you so worried," she bites back. "Lots of women are fine, even when pregnant. And I've already told you that my family births healthy babies."

"I don't want to take any chances," he replies softly, twisting around to take her hand into his and giving it a squeeze. "Not with our first time, when we're still learning."

She smiles, leaning over to kiss his lips. "You've always been a worrier," she teases.

"You just never worry enough," he counters with a roll of his eyes. Kicking off his shoes, he lies back on his pillow, getting comfortable next to her. With affectionate eyes, he gazes at the round belly of his wife, bursting more and more each day. To his frusration, however, he takes notice of the skimpy nightgown she has adorned. Many a nights he has enjoyed it on her, but now he slips off his outer robe and drapes it over her.

"It would not do for you to get sick," he lectures.

She grins sheepishly. "It was meant to seduce you," she admits, chuckling when he rolls his eyes.

"I'll make it up to you _after_ the baby is born," he promises sternly. "But not before, so take care of yourself."

Running a hand over her protruding stomach, she grumbles, "This baby had better be worth it." They both know she doesn't mean it, though, so he relaxes back once again as she snuggles into his robe.

"Hey, Toushiro?" she speaks up after a moment of peaceful silence. "Have you thought of a name for the baby yet?"

He glances over at her in surprise to find her fiddling with the cloth in her hand.

"Mmm, actually, no," he admits. "I just assumed that, once I saw the baby for the first time, I would just know what the right name would be."

"What if you think of some really ugly name that I don't want?" she challenges.

He chuckles. "If you don't want to use it, then I would never think of making you," he says. Touched, she kisses his forehead. Leaning back, she starts fiddling with his robe again.

"Actually, I wanted to know if you were thinking of naming the baby after your mother?" she finally spits out, screwing her eyes shut.

He gazes at her in surprise, his lips twisting into a thoughtful frown.

"I _have_ thought of it," he admits gravely. "But I decided not to." At her stunned expression, he explains, "You have lost a mother too, after all. But, the more I thought of it, the more I decided that I wanted our first baby to have an original name, just for him or her. A name we could think of together, and would feel proud or happy to call out."

Karin beams. "Oh, Toushiro. Me, too!" She captures his lips easily, and they kiss for a long time. She pulls away breathlessly moments later.

"Besides," he adds, smirking, "we can always have _more_ babies for that."

She chokes at his words.

**.. ღ ..**

The news had spread. The newspapers had a field day, and now he looks out his bedroom window, his smirk triumphant as he sees reporters still littering his lawns, asking the maids questions. They had been coming every morning, asking for any progress in the case. But there hasn't been, and there are days when the thought drives him mad; when anyone tries to talk to him – _especially _prying journalists – he loses his cool more than once. He just wants his baby sister back, and he will do anything he can to carry that out.

The government, at least, has started paying more attention to his story. Ever since the country had heard of this scandalous news, there has been an uproar among the frightened citizens, and he has finally gotten the help he desired.

"Inoue-san?" a hesitant voice calls out. He turns to find one of the maids peeking into his bedroom.

"What is it?" he rasps, and she cringes.

"There are some people here to see you," she whispers, frightened.

He stands from his bed briskly, dismissing her with a wave of his hand and heading for the front doors. When he reaches the top of the stairs, he finds two men by the entrance; one with flowing, black hair, and once with a shockingly red bun.

"Good afternoon," he calls out to them, a little suspicious.

"Good afternoon," the one with black hair responds first while his partner bows. "Inoue-san, I presume?"

"Yes," he clarifies. "And you two would be?"

"I'm Commander Kuchiki Byakuya from the Japanese Army," the man explains. Gesturing to his partner, he adds, "This is my lieutenant, Abarai Renji."

"Yo," Renji grunts in response.

"We were sent here," Byakuya goes on to explain. "We have a track record for never failing a mission, so the Finnish government asked us to fly over and see what we can so about your loss. We have been rigorously reviewing your sister's case. My condolences, by the way," he offers. "Abarai and I would like to ask you questions."

"Of course," he agrees. Normally he would have refused, but these men seem hard-working and trustworthy. And he would never trust the police in this neighborhood after the experience he had. "If you could follow me."

Their steps echo against the polished tiles of his mansion as he leads them to his rather grand living room. Some of the maids bustling through the halls scurry to the kitchen to alert the kitchen staff about the new arrivals. Out of the corner of his eye, Inoue sees Renji grin at some of them sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment at the attention, and some of the maids giggle in his direction. He's obviously young, and he hopes the red head is at least experienced enough to be handling this.

"Let's please move on straight to the questions," Byakuya states once they've seated themselves and shut all the doors leading into the room for some privacy. "We're all busy men, and I'm confident you would rather not make small talk in such a situation."

"You can relax," Renji speaks up. "For now, it's just standard questions. We know you've probably answered 'em too many times, but the army wouldn't have sent us if it trusted the feedback of the officers in this area even a little bit."

This causes Inoue to scowl, immediately thinking back to those two that had been readily insulting his baby sister and calling her a runaway. He hopes they at least have enough tact to feel shame, now that the news of her abduction has spread. So, he he purses his lips but nods.

"What would you like to know?"

The two really do ask rather basic questions; Orihime's personality, her feelings towards her family and friends, whether she had been happy with her life here, her duties in the home, and her aspirations. They also call in the maid who had witnessed her disappearance to recall everything she had seen. As she stutters and bows and leaves after she has served her purpose, Byakuya purses his lips in contemplation.

"That should suffice for today," he decides after the long interrogation. "We will review this information and return once we're ready to expand the case. Please refrain from touching anything in your sister's room. During our next visit, we will need to search it and other aspects of the home."

"Of course." His words are shaky in contrast to the commander's cool tone, and Renji grins comfortingly.

"Hey, stop worrying," he says gruffly. "We're gonna get your sister back no matter what. We wouldn't want this to end up like the last time -"

"_Abarai_," Byakuya cuts across him sharply, but Inoue had heard.

"What last time?" he asks curiously, his stomach churning.

Though he glares at the ground for a moment, Byakuya has no choice but to answer now that the words had been said.

"It's come to our attention some time ago that...your sister is not the first to be taken by the Leoan army," he supplies with a sigh, shutting his eyes in aggravation.

"Th-there was someone else?" Inoue stutters. "Who-who – I mean, what happened to...?" He trails off once he notices their grave expressions.

"She was never returned," Renji answers, fisting his hand tightly. "At least, not that we know of."

He pales dramatically, collapsing against his seat. "Then, m-my sister..."

"Will be returned," Byakuya finishes confidently. "The last time was an unfortunate incident that was not learned of for some time, and there was nothing that could be done. But your sister's disappearance was reported almost immediately, and we have one of our best men willing to take the case."

Renji snorts. "And by best, we mean he holds enough of a grudge towards the Leoans that he'll go to any lengths just to best them in anything."

"Gr-grudge?" he asks in confusion.

With another sigh, Byakuya shuffles through the pockets of his coat until he finally pulls out a small photo.

"This is him," he explains. "I assure you, he is willing to take any risks against the Leoans, especially to bring back a prisoner."

Inoue takes the picture with a trembling hand, gulping heavily as he takes in the sharp scowl and flaming orange hair of the man who would save his sister.

**.. ღ ..**

"_Ichigo, you can't _do_ this," Rukia argued._

"_And why can't I?" he snarled at her, getting out of his seat in his rage._

"_You idiot," she hissed. "The army is not something you can just join on a whim. You have to be prepared for sacrifices and just the most horrible experiences -"_

"_You must be out of your mind if you think I'm not going to do anything after they took _my _sister," he cried, his scowl deepening._

"_Look, Ichigo," she tried to reason with him. "I understand that this is hard for you, but you can't do anything drastic like this. You have other things to worry about. What abut your other sister?"_

"_We have family that can take her," he said crisply._

_Rukia shook her head. "That would make her unhappy. You know she wants to stay with you, especially after both her father and sister are gone."_

"_At least Otou-san can come back!" he exclaimed. "If I don't so something, Karin -"_

_He broke off, gritting his teeth in hopelessness. Rukia bit her lip, torn up inside from seeing him like this. They'd only met a week ago, but he had been so strong ever since learning about what had happened to Hika – Karin. But she'd walked in today, and he had this crazy idea that his joining the army would solve all problems. She just couldn't let her friend destroy his life like this. Taking a steadying deep breath, she cupped both his cheeks with her hands._

"_Reason with me, Ichigo," she said softly. "Is this what Karin would want you to do? Just take some time and think about this more closely, would you?"_

_He shrugged away from her. "I've already thought as much as I'm going to," he replied. "I can't just sit back after this. What if it happens again, Rukia?" His eyes blazed with fury. "Karin would want me to protect as many people as possible."_

_Rukia sighed. "For all we know, Ichigo, she could even be fine. Or, at least, alive. You're getting so worked up -"_

"_Worked up?" he hissed. "My _sister _was taken by the enemy; I think it's allowed to get "worked up." Besides, you and I both know she couldn't possibly be fine there. It's a foreign place, and she doesn't belong. There's no way she could ever have a _life _there."_

**.. ღ ..**

"_We really should not be wandering around out here," Toushiro stated, looking around rather anxiously._

_Karin patted his arm comfortingly, grabbing his sleeve to pull him along faster. "It's fine," she retorted airily. "There's no one here."_

"_But the others -"_

"_Won't miss us," she insisted. "Come on, Toushiro. We've been stuck in those camps for days. I need to move around a bit." As he was about to protest, she crushed her lips against his. "Besides," she murmured, grinning at the hazy look in his eyes, "we can't do _that _with everyone watching us."_

_After hesitating slightly, she also pulled off his cloak's hood, letting his white hair stand free again, though it was disheveled from being covered and flattened constantly. Despite his previous misgivings, he breathed in happily as a breeze ruffled his locks; it had been entirely too long._

"_It _does _feel rather nice not to have to wear that hood," he admitted._

_She beamed. "See? Always look on the bright side of things." And this time, he let her pull him through the thick clump of trees, farther and farther away from their allies and supposedly the threat of Aizen, into their own shared solitude. They easily grasped each other's hands, wandering on the soft grass of the forest, concealed by the thick foliage surrounding them. Realizing this, Karin gave a sigh and pulled him closer._

_He smiled down at her. "Feeling nostalgic?" he asked softly._

"_Mmmm, yeah," she murmured dreamily. "Just remembering all those times you used to sneak me out of the dungeons."_

"_And now our roles are reversed," he realized with humor._

_She kissed him softly again, grinning widely. The two wandered on their path silently, content in their company and everything around them. Serra Leoa truly was a beautiful planet, filled with breathtaking nature and scenery. And, Karin decided, smiling over at her handsome lover, some of the people weren't that bad, either. Of course, there _were _exceptions – bastard Aizen – but she'd met Toushiro, and Matsumoto, and all of their allies back at the camps. Spending weeks together with sympathetic Leoans, hiding and plotting together, had taught her that they weren't _all _what she had thought they were like. Okay, there had been some complications between their relationships at first, but they had learned to deal and get along with each other._

_She and Toushiro, however, had hardly received the opportunity to spend time alone together – not since he'd proposed to her, and they were still keeping _that _a secret, since no one knew who he really was. He had to keep his identity secret, for obvious reasons, and between having to keep his hood up at the chance somebody was watching and the battle plans the two kept busy with, they could hardly get romantic like they did back in her cell; how ironic that, in freedom, their choices were more limited. That's why she appreciated any time together like this, with only him and her and their heated atmosphere between them. Even after only months of a love-filled relationship, she considered him as the man she could possibly spend the rest of her life with. He was certainly faithful to her, his eyes never straying from her figure, even with all the stir-crazy women in their hideout – who eyed him shamelessly because he was such a "mystery," despite Karin's protectiveness. _

"_Hey, Karin," Toushiro suddenly spoke up, his gaze intent on something up ahead. "Do you see something up there?"_

_She broke from her thoughts of him and instead focused on what was in his line of vision. "It looks like a...building?"_

_It was indeed, an angelic-looking building, despite its apparent age. As they stepped into the clearing where it stood, it became obvious that it wasn't very large in size. But the vines of flowers growing up its walls added a majestic look to the fading, yellow color, even the chipping parts of the paint. When Toushiro caught sight of the cross standing proud at the top, he came to a realization._

"_It must be a church," he explained, pulling them closer to the structure._

"_You have churches here?" Karin asked, shocked._

"_Of course," he replied with a shrug. "Any civilization has a diversity of religion, just like you earthlings do. Aizen was not idiotic enough to ban freedom of religion; he knew the outcries and rebellions that would result. But this one looks as if it's been abandoned for years."_

"_Well, not years," a sudden arrival spoke up behind them. Swinging around, they found themselves in the company of a an aging senior, his skin wrinkled with time. He smiled kindly at the expressions of surprise on their faces. "Excuse an old man. I didn't mean to give you two a scare."_

"_Of course not," Karin answered, shaking her head. Even so, she made no move to come any closer to him; her experiences in combat had taught her not to trust too easily, especially just because of a welcoming appearance. Perhaps the old man understood, because he just chuckled and made no move to step any closer._

"_You know about this building?" Toushiro asked, going off of his previous comment when he had first appeared._

"_Of course," he answered softly. "I _am _a minister here, after all."_

_Karin gaped at him. "But it's so old, and it looks like it hasn't been used in ages." At his raised eyebrow, she had the sense to look sheepish. "Sorry."_

"_It's quite alright," he assured her kindly. "I know it's not the most aesthetically pleasing building, but it's been put to good use over the years." He smiled as he placed a trembling hand against the wall. "I've watched ceremonies happening here for years – conducted a few myself. It's a shame it's so secluded now." His eyelids dropped simultaneously with his somber mood. "All the other ministers are long gone, and I'm the only one left here. The outside is too big of a job for me to take care of it myself, but I keep the inside clean every day."_

"_Could we...see the inside?" Karin asked, almost shyly, because she was too unpracticed with purposely acting kind towards others._

_The old man's face brightened instantly at her request, and he nodded. "I would love for you two to see it. Maybe it'll ease up the first impression a bit."_

_So, hand in hand, the two lovers followed him up the small stairway and through the large double doors that were the entrance. The two gaped as they saw the inner decor for the first time, rather impressed by what such an aged man could do on his own. The lush carpet leading to the altar looked almost brand new and spotless, and the benches on either side of it had been polished until they shined. But the _beautiful _decorations in the forms of paintings and sculptures on the walls were what caught their eye; each one was carved in detail, the faces and colors so realistic that one could believe they were capable of stepping out of the canvas or stone._

"_You've kept it rather well," Toushiro complimented him, enjoying the excited gleam in Karin's eyes._

_He chuckled. "Thank you, Hitsugaya-sama."_

_The two stiffened at exactly the same moment, instantly alert of any attack or signs of danger. But the old man just laughed once again._

"_Your white hair is simply an easy clue," he explained, and the two realized, in thinking that they had been alone, they had forgotten to prop his hood back up. "But I will not pose a threat to you," he went on to promise. "Anyone who can admire my ancient building the way you two did is my friend, not enemy."_

_They warily allowed themselves to relax for the moment, still anticipating something, but not enough to let it show in their body language for fear of offending the kind minister._

"_Would you two like to take a closer look at the altar?" he asked them, oblivious to their thoughts, his eyes twinkling like a young boy's. The two agreed, taking cautious steps down the carpet that echoed throughout the deserted building. Light shined through the stained windows, making the entire church shine majestically. They paused once they had reached the altar, and Karin and Toushiro faced one another almost lovingly._

"_Many a couples have found happiness right there in that very spot," their companion informed them in a soft voice. "Although it has been years since a wedding has taken place here, that spot will always hold their happy memories. That's why I fight to preserve it."_

_Upon hearing that, the two cautious fighters finally allowed themselves to relax completely._

"_It _would_ be wonderful to get married here," Karin commented, trying to cheer him up even more, though she really did believe it. As he beamed, Toushiro raised an eyebrow at her._

"_You really think so?" he asked her cautiously._

"_Of course!" she remarked, smiling at him and nodding enthusiastically. "I mean, _look _at this place."_

_Toushiro considered her, as well as eyed the beautiful surroundings. When he'd proposed that wonderful night, he hadn't planned on getting married for a long, long time. Even Matsumoto didn't know, and he could just imagine the look on her face when he would tell her the shocking news. They were straight in the middle of an important war, and with him having to hide his princely status, he no longer had any time to spend with her – not as much as he would like. He could tell it frustrated her, too, and so when he'd popped the question, he had been completely sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her._

"_Well, then," he murmured slowly, tightening the hold of his hand, "how about we get married here?"_

_She blinked at him, her smile twisting into a bemused grin. "In this church? Well...Yeah, sure! I mean, it's beautiful, and I'm sure Matsumoto would love it here, too."_

"_No," he cut her off, actually a little too embarrassed to look her in the eye right now. "I meant...here, _now."

_It took her all but two seconds to register his proposal. "_What!_" she cried, wrenching her hand out of his. "Are you _crazy_? _Now?_"_

"_Why not?" he asked softly, grabbing both of her hands into his own this time and shaking them as if to make her see sense. "We were planning to get married, anyway. Why not now, in the midst of war?"_

"_But, Toushiro," she mumbled helplessly. "Don't you think this is too fast?"_

_He frowned deeply. "When I proposed to you, did you think there was a set time interval?"_

_She flushed. "Of course not -"_

"_Then there's no problem," he argued logically. He pulled her close, keeping mind of the smiling old man who had turned away to give them privacy. "Karin...I love you, and if we've already promised to marry, then I see no reason why now is not as good a time as any. Do you not want to marry me?"_

_She gaped at him and his question. "Of course I do, idiot! That's why I said _yes _in the first place. You know I would never say that to just anyone."_

_His lips twitched up. "Then, please, Karin. Do me the honor of marrying me now?" He kissed the back of her hand, smirking at the blush on her face. She wasn't used to even him treating her so delicately._

"_I...yes," she finally relented, grinning sheepishly._

_Toushiro practically beamed, turning towards the minister. "Would you oversee our ceremony?"_

"_Absolutely," he agreed immediately, stepping up to the podium. "It has been too long since I have married a couple. It would touch my heart to do so one last time."_

_Toushiro pulled along Karin so they were standing in the middle of the altar. She gladly allowed him to lead her, almost chuckling at the situation. She couldn't believe she was just so suddenly getting married; the two were both dressed in grungy clothes made weary by war, and no one even close to them knew about the situation. No one even knew they had been _engaged! _It was a wedding that would shock Yuzu to her core, yet Karin couldn't help but think how well it suited them._

"_There's just one problem, though," she suddenly realized. At his raised eyebrows, she explained, "We don't have any witnesses. Besides, I don't practice the same religion you Leoans do, so how could this marriage be legal?"_

_Her fiancé chuckled. "You are no longer on Earth, Karin," he reminded her. "Our customs here are different. Marriages on Serra Leoa are legalized verbally, no matter the type of ceremonial beliefs. And our traditions are simple; there are no need for _witnesses, _only the priest to back up your word_._"_

_She breathed out deeply in relief, glad that there really were no more obstacles in their way. "Okay, then, let's get married!" she cheered joyfully._

_The priest cleared his throat. "Human?" he repeated, causing the two to go rigid. He peered at Karin closely, and a smile touched his lips. "Would I be correct in assuming that you are indeed the same human it was rumored Hitsugaya-sama had rebelled for?" Karin nodded, flushing at the attention. "Well, it brings me great pleasure to conduct the first Leoan-human wedding ceremony. I have lost no one in this war, and so I see no reason to hold any prejudices against you. Please, stand before me, and I will be more than happy to wed you two."_

_With sheepish but grateful grins, the two lovers found themselves facing one another, their hands clasped together tightly in front of an impromptu minister. He cleared his throat once again._

"_Am I right in assuming there are no rings?" he asked in amusement._

"_I will get you one as soon as possible," Toushiro promised her, guilt gnawing at his stomach._

_She rolled her eyes. "Don't bother. I would never wear it, anyway." She turned towards their priest. "And don't bother with vows, either. I don't do mushy crap."_

_Both men chuckled; the old man at her spunk, and Toushiro at how characteristic such words were of Karin, even on her wedding day._

"_Well, then, let us proceed," he continued. "This shan't take us long." Turning towards the prince who refused to look away from his bride, he asked, "Do you, Hitsugaya Toushiro, take this lovely woman as your wife?"_

"_As long as I shall live," he promised, truth ringing clearly in his words._

"_And you, Karin," he carried on, turning towards the second party, who's first name he had learned from conversation. "Do you take our royal prince as your husband?"_

"_What he said," was her reply, and she inched closer to him._

"_Then I pronounce you man and wife," he declared simply, bonding the two of them for all eternity._

"_You sure you won't regret this?" Karin whispered, bringing her lips inches away from his. He eyed them carefully._

"_Only if you won't mind that I will probably become rather protective of you for the next few decades," he answered._

_The priest tactfully looked away again while they kissed passionately, true partners for the first time._

* * *

**Well, this has taken entirely too long, and for that, I apologize. Also, if anyone felt the wedding scene was rather rushed, then that's good, because I was trying to mirror how frantic and sudden it was with my writing.**

**Let me know what you thought :)**_  
_


	15. Chapter 15

**So, I wasn't expecting to update this just yet. It was supposed to be _Melodies Unheard _first, which I have been working on all week and am almost done with. But I got stuck on a scene with that, and then the writing for this just came easily :) Also, I want to remind everyone that _both_ the past and present timelines are not in order all the time. Don't be confused by that!**

**Oh, and because of my excessive writing and frenzy to update all my stories this week, I seem to have gotten behind on my review replies. I'm sorry, everyone! I promise, I'll get right on it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

* * *

_Ryou groaned heavily as he stirred, his vision blurred from the drowsiness making his head spin. He cracked open his eyes, trying his best to see past the fuzzy outlines of moving shapes, but it seemed to be no use. And, truthfully, he simply had no more energy left to even try any longer._

_Two days had passed now, since his parents had suffered from that fatal accident that had stolen their lives. He'd cried his eyes into red and puffy messes the first time, and the mysterious soldier who had kidnapped him hadn't liked that. But he'd remained unharmed, for some odd reason, and he later came to learn that it was because of a man they called Aizen._

_The six-year-old had never met the man himself. Instead, he'd only ever heard snippets of his chilling voice, giving harsh orders to anyone in the vicinity with a tongue that dripped with malice and a sinister ring. Through those broken conversations, Ryou learned that this man – this twisted and wholly evil man – had planned for his parents' death, and only because they worked so closely with the military that they could possibly become a hindrance in his future plans. His parents had died simply because of one man's whims, and Ryou had been helpless to stop him._

"_Szayel," he heard that sickeningly familiar voice speak up now, apparently somewhere on his right. "I trust we are almost finished?"_

"_Of course, Aizen-sama," the creepy scientist answered. "The boy has been thoroughly transformed. Would you like to test him?"_

_At those horrifying words, Ryou immediately began to struggle, but the chains tying him to the table he rested on were too strong. After all, if he could, he would have escaped long ago. But instead, he'd been forced to lie still as some eccentric man he did not know hovered over him, injecting him with liquids that put him to sleep but ignoring him otherwise. As always, he was powerless._

"_Oh, it looks like our young guest is awake." Aizen's voice drifted through the room, sounding more amused than anything as he watched the six-year-old drop his head and give up on his struggles. Someone clicked their tongue in irritation._

"_I think he's becoming resistant to the drugs I give him," Szayel snapped, sounding annoyed. "Recently, he's been waking up sooner than ever."_

_Aizen chuckled, filling the room with the deep sound. "No matter," he appeased the scientist. "The deed has been done, so there is no need to put him to sleep much longer. In fact, I think I'm prepared to release him back to Earth now."_

_Ryou felt his heart flicker with hope at those words. He was getting out of here? He would be free again? Of course, he couldn't allow himself too much happiness, because when those dreams were crushed, it would be twice as painful. The promises of home and safety were simply too enticing, though._

"_Of course, Aizen-sama," Szayel replied gleefully. "But allow me to explain the modifications and effects to you before his return." The man grunted in assent, and the scientist picked up again, his voice giddy with excitement. "You will have full control, My Lord. You, and no one else. Any command, and he will complete it – unconsciously, of course, and as if it had been his _own _thought to begin with."_

"_Excellent work, Szayel," his superior praised him, joining in with his excitement. "I trust that he will still function normally, even if I have free control of his choices and free will?"_

"_Of course!" Szayel replied haughtily. "The chip is not built to restrict anything other than what you asked of me."_

"_And you did not disappoint," Aizen assured him, sounding amused once again at his subordinate's affronted reply. He paused for a moment before eliciting a small hum of thought. "You mentioned side effects, Szayel?"_

"_Oh! Yes," he replied, as if he had just remembered. "Well, it's a rather unfortunate mishap, and it gives the boy a little too much power for my taste. But since you control him, I suppose it won't be difficult to keep him in line." He gave a weary sigh, as if disappointed in his failure. "Because the boy is being controlled by a Leoan – and such a powerful king, no less – there is the possibility that he may inherit some...special privileges from our race."_

_Aizen was intelligent enough to see through his vague reply. "You mean he will inherit our demon magic," he stated, ignoring the scientist's attempt to kiss up to him._

_Szayel nodded, pursing his lips. "That might be the only effect, though. And, of course, he will have no memories of his contact with you, so he can at least enjoy a clean conscience."_

"_Terrific work," the king praised him one last time, his voice so calm it was deadly. "Finish up your work, and then erase his memory. It's time to test our project on the human army."_

**.. ღ ..**

Orihime gulps heavily, tightening the scarf over her head with trembling fingers. This is so wrong, yet she can't squash the growing excitement in her stomach. And, of course, it's a sweeter feeling knowing that it defies all of Ulquiorra's orders.

"Hey there, young miss!" a nearby vendor suddenly calls out to her, flashing her a toothy grin. "How about some fresh fruit to keep you cool under this heat?"

She returns his grin with a weak smile, though mostly from the sudden fright at being addressed. "Not today, thank you." Thankfully, her voice does not crack, though she attributes that to the fact that at least he's not the _very first _Leoan she has ever spoken to.

He makes a face, but cheerfully waves her along anyway, to show there are no hard feelings. She feels herself grow braver from this successful interaction, and her steps are more sturdy as she makes her way through the marketplace. Fortunately, all the other women in the area are also wearing scarfs atop their heads to shelter themselves from the scorching sun, so her choice of head gear doesn't stand out. The only difference between them and her, however, is that she's done so to hide her apparently famous orange hair, which is a dead giveaway that she is the only human walking amongst them.

It is a thrilling experience to finally escape from the palace for a day and explore the planet she had longed to see since first arriving. Well, not since first arriving, but first getting comfortable. Ulquiorra had forbidden her profusely, reminding her without fail that no one would save her should she get injured. He'd slandered her physical strength in that indifferent way of his, as well as sneered at her trusting personality. It had irritated her to no end, though she'd let her docile character control any thoughts of fighting back. And now, just because of him, it feels to liberating to finally be free.

The only spoiled part of the plan is that she had betrayed both Rangiku-san and Karin-sama by sneaking out. Both had made her promise to stay within the palace walls and resist her urge to wander out. Though they'd defended their home planet frequently, they also admitted that the country might not take too kindly to a sudden intrusion by a human. Orihime definitely feels guilty for disobeying them so easily, but she just couldn't resist any longer, so she'd sneaked out when the maid had been called out to help with dinner preparations and her bodyguard had been asked to train with new soldiers for the day. She would just have to make sure she returns early enough that they don't realize what she had done, but for now, she planns to enjoy everything presented before her.

With unhidden interest in her eyes, she watches everything around her and tries to burn it to memory. Women mill around the stalls, scurrying to grocery shop before the sun sets and they have to make dinner. Children rush through the streets carelessly, playing games that only those with such innocence and imagination could truly enjoy. She giggles as a group of boys rush past her with their arms outstretched, making buzzing noises with their pursed lips and pretending to fly. It's a game she had often seen children play on Earth, and it's delightfully surprising to see it in this foreign land. Perhaps they aren't so different from her and her race.

"Hey, girlie!" someone suddenly calls out for her, and she jumps once she realizes she's being sought out again. Peeking out cautiously from under her scarf, she spies an ancient woman down the street waving her over. The crone looks harmless enough, so she gingerly walks over to her.

"Um, can I help you?" she asks, feeling her nerves on edge.

"A young lady like you should be respecting your elders a bit more," the woman suddenly lectures her, much to her surprise. Before she can reply, the woman shoves heavy bags into her hands. "Now, put your youth to good use and help an old woman take her goods home."

Without waiting for Orihime's consent, she begins limping down the street, expecting the flustered girl to follow. Of course, being the pushover that she is when it comes to Leoans, she attempts to run after her without question. But the packages, on top of being ridiculous in number, are so heavy that they throw her off balance. She gives a yelp as her feet stumble under her, and she lurches forward.

"Whoa!" yet _another _strange voice cries out, and she feels two arms wrap around her to steady her before she falls flat on her face. She breathes a huge sigh of relief, before turning her attention to the boy who had saved her. He smiles charmingly before asking, "Are you all right?"

"Y-Yes," she replies meekly. With a chuckle, he takes a few packages from her arms to lighten the weight. She flushes, suddenly aware of how handsome he is, though he doesn't notice as he follows the woman down the street.

"I'll help you," he offers when she rushes to catch up to him. "I saw how she didn't give you much choice in the matter, but please don't let it bother you. She's that way with everyone."

"You know her?" she asks, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

He laughs heartily at her question. "I think every young person knows her around here. She likes to take advantage of anyone in sight by reminding us of her age. You must have just moved into the area to not know of her, am I right?"

"Um, y-yes," she stutters, afraid that they're treading close to dangerous territory. She stays quiet the rest of the trip, in case she might slip up and reveal her origins.

Near the end of their errand, she starts to feel slightly nervous. It had already been evening when she'd first sneaked out of the castle, and now it's getting quite late. She knows she can't stay missing forever without it being noticed, and she had inwardly planned to head home at this time. The sun is starting to set, basking everything in an orange and pink glow, and she knows the palace is nearing close to their meal time – a dinner she is supposed to be present for. She feels worry gnaw at her, making her anxious that she might not make it back in time, and she quickens her steps.

The old woman lives too far for comfort, though now Orihime can understand why she tries to take advantage of any help she can find; it would be an impossible task for her to do on her own so often. But by the time they drop off her groceries and she sends them away with an irritable wave of her hand, the sun is almost dipped below the horizon, and the human guest realizes she'll have to sprint back to the palace to make it in time.

"Are you heading back home?" the young boy suddenly asks her, noting her panicked expression. They're both walking back together after the errand they had just run, and they turn into a desolate alley they had used earlier that cuts straight back to the marketplace.

She bites her lip to show her worry. "Yes, I should be going back now. I'll be late, and people will begin to worry."

"Oh, come on," he speaks up, nudging her playfully. "Stay and chat with me for a while? We've only just met, and I want to welcome you to our area."

She furrows her eyebrows when she realizes he's attempting to make a pass at her, surprised because he had not seemed that type of boy earlier. He'd been nothing but charming and helpful, making her laugh at the right times and carrying most of the load because it was too heavy for her. Now, however, his smile seems mischievous and dangerous, and the way he looks at her makes her shift self-consciously. The realization makes her stomach twist uncomfortably, since she's never interacted much with men because of both her brother's influence and protective nature. Suddenly, she becomes hyper aware that the two are alone together, and the marketplace – filled with other _people_ – is still too far away for her liking.

"I don't think so," she tries to politely decline, stepping away from him and scurrying towards the end of the alleyway. She doesn't get far before he grabs her elbow from behind, yanking her back.

"That's no way to repay my kindness," he teases her, but the mirth in his words makes her shiver in fear. "I helped you selflessly with your tasking errand, so manners say that you must repay me." Grabbing her chin, he roughly tugs her frightened face into his view. "And now that I look at you properly, you're certainly a pretty one."

A weak whimper rips through her lips before she can stop it, and he laughs boyishly at the sound.

"There's no reason to be afraid of me," he tries to soothe her, though it only makes her sick to her stomach. "I simply want payment for my services. It's a rather normal exchange that happens everyday, you know."

Shaking her head furiously, Orihime rips her elbow from his grip and attempts to make a break for it down the alley. But he catches her before she can get far enough to call for help, and he slams her back up against the wall. His cheerful facade seems to have ended, as he's breathing quite deeply and angrily.

"Don't think of running," he spits out, wiping at his lips. "That just makes me mad." Pinning one her arms to the wall, he thrusts out his other hand to wrap around her neck.

She sees it coming at her fast, too quick for her to think of stopping it, and she just squeezes her eyes shut. Beads of tears gather at the corners of her eyes, but her throat clogs up in her panic, so she can't cry for help. All she can do is wait for it.

But it never comes. All she hears is a grunt and snap, and when she opens her eyes, her attacker has a look of horror plastered on his face. His hand is suspended right in front of her face, trapped from moving by someone's death grip on his wrist.

"You better have come prepared to lose this hand when you targeted her," Ulquiorra hisses, his dead eyes planted on the boy. And without waiting for any response, he smashes his head against the wall beside her. She screams as the boy passes out from impact and collapses on the ground, unmoving.

Ulquiorra turns his gaze on her next, and though his expression does not change, she can sense the disapproval coming from him in waves.

"I warned you of the dangers," he states stoically, but that makes it worse. "You have deliberately disobeyed everyone."

"H-How did you find me?" she squeaks.

He eyes her critically, possibly wondering whether to bother telling her. "I returned from training and you were missing. This was the only explanation, so I followed your trail using those who saw you." After a troubled sigh, he grabs her by the wrist and pulls her down the alley. "Your maid started a fire and dinner was delayed. If we hurry, no one will know that you were missing."

Orihime follows him wordlessly, amazed that he is willing to help her cover up her blunder. It seems unlike the cruel soldier she has come to dislike, but she feels so grateful; she does not want to be caged in even further because of this. Perhaps he understands that. She would not have expected it of him to sympathize with her in any way, but then again, she had never expected to feel anything other than fear or dislike towards him either.

But when she'd first opened her eyes to find him here, protecting her so valiantly even despite his apathetic nature, she couldn't deny that her heart had betrayed her by fluttering in her chest.

**.. ღ ..**

_Aizen adjusted himself in his throne, smiling in that calm way of his that set everyone on edge. In front of him stood a wide screen, displaying a white and black image of a room similar to an office, and it shook quite terribly, as if the camera man was intoxicated. He could hear the light thumping of what were obviously footsteps._

"_Ryou-san," a young woman behind a desk beamed towards the camera. "Your counselor is waiting for you. It's the first door on your right."_

"_Thank you," someone off the screen replied politely, and then the camera jiggled over to the indicated room. A hand reached out, and someone knocked three times before twisting the doorknob and stepping in._

_An older woman sat behind the desk this time, and she impatiently waved in someone behind the camera. "Come in. I haven't got all day."_

_Aizen settled back, uninterested in the more polite mannerisms between humans. There was only one part of the conversation he needed to hear, and that would come much later. He listened carelessly as the woman and Ryou discussed his classwork and his tremendous grades, during which the counselor gushed on about him inheriting his intelligence from his brilliant parents, and then many of his final test scores and high school classes. Finally, she asked the question the Leoan royal had been waiting for._

"_So," she ventured, "what are your plans following high school?"_

_Aizen leaned forward in his seat, almost in anticipation, and placed a remote-like device against his mouth. Keeping his gaze on the screen, he pressed a button and whispered, "Army."_

_Automatically, the person behind the camera spoke up, almost mechanically, "Army."_

_The old woman gazed up in surprise, fumbling with the sheets on her desk. "A-Are you sure? What about school? You have such a brilliant mind, and it should be put to good use."_

"_It will be," Aizen stated into his device, "in the _Army._" And the person off screen repeated him word for word._

_The counselor frowned for a moment, readjusting her thick glasses before she sighed. "Well, it's your life, so I won't stop you." She opened a drawer and pulled out a brochure, handing it to the person. "Here, this will have information on your prospects, answer any questions you might have, and tell you how to apply for service. You can also come to me, of course..."_

_The manipulative king let the woman's voice tune out, uninterested in her banter. What he had wanted was finally achieved, after years of patiently waiting for this very moment. Curse humans and their age restrictions on soldiers. Now, he would have to be careful to keep this boy from screwing up anything, if he wanted to advance up the ladder and be useful. One slip up, and things could go downhill fast. And that would only displease Aizen, who had finally succeeded in beginning his plan to place a spy in the enemy military._

_Years later, when Ryou was named Commander of a squad and given access to secret records of all government planning, the King could only smirk in victory._

**.. ღ ..**

Karin walks briskly down the hallways, one hand planted on her stomach. It's become a habit of hers, ever since she learned of her supposed pregnancy, almost as if she's feeling for the life inside her. She knows it's not possible, of course, especially as it's clearly too early to tell, but a part of her aches to know the truth soon so she can finally share the news with her husband.

Hitsugaya is locked away in some room for a meeting, so she has had the afternoon for herself. But she anticipates the moment he'll be released, which should be fairly soon, as she's been longing to see him all day. So she rushes to the throne room, hoping she can sneak into the conference without being noticed and wait for its end.

As she passes by one of the rotundas, however, she hears a snatch of conversation taking place in a whisper inside. She doesn't mean to eavesdrop, but she's close enough to the apparent couple that she accidentally overhears their private conversation. And what she hears makes her stop in her tracks.

"I'm just worried about what she'll think," she hears someone decidedly female say, and her eyes widen when she recognizes it as Orihime's voice. What could their human guest possibly be doing in a deserted corridor, speaking in a hush?

"I mean, she's been so nice to me," the girl goes on to say, and Karin tries to crane her neck to see who she's talking to. "They've _all _been kind, really. I even feel bad for keeping it from Rangiku-san."

To the queen's irritation, whoever Orihime is conversing with is hidden perfectly behind the corridor's wall. The only way to see would have been to stick her head around the corner, and that would only have given away her presence. So she's stuck listening closely on the other side, hoping she can hear the other party soon enough.

"I'm not sure how they'll react, though," the voice continues to float down the hall. Karin wonders what she's speaking of, though she has a horrible feeling in her gut that she's not going to like it. "They'll probably say it's too dangerous, even though you can protect me so well. And I'm afraid they might misunderstand and think you're just taking advantage of me." There's a long, heavy pause, and then the girls asks, horribly timid, "You're not, are you?"

"Of course not," her partner replies coolly. It's a soft, indifferent voice that sounds almost as if the owner is completely detached from the world. Karin feels her breath hitch in her throat as she recognizes it, and she jumps around the corner just in time to see Orihime shyly kiss Ulquiorra's cheek.

"What the _hell _is going _on _here!" she screeches, and the human jumps from the shock while the soldier simply freezes. She swerves around to see who their intruder is, and her expression falls drastically when she notices Karin watching them, completely shocked down to her core.

The queen, who feels her emotions rise quickly to the surface, maybe from the pregnancy, lets her rage overtake her.

"You two," she snarls, "have got some _explaining _to do."

**.. ღ ..**

Toushiro sighs heavily as he finally gets a chance to stretch his legs. After sitting in meetings all morning, it feels wonderful to walk down the halls like this. The only damper on his mood is that Karin had not shown up to greet him at the throne room, as she had hinted she might. He had hoped he would get to see her face after being trapped with ancient, boring men all morning and afternoon.

_'No matter,' _he assures himself. _'I'll just go find her now.'_

But it's her voice he hears first. On his way to their bedroom, he passes by one of the more abandoned wings of their palace, and as he's walking by a certain corridor, his wife's melodic voice drifts to his ears. And she's screeching at someone.

"Are you _out _of your _damn mind!_" he hears, and it makes him freeze in place. This could not be good. "I trust you two to _behave _yourselves. Hell, I made you her bodyguard so she would stay _away _from shady men! And then you two go _behind my back _and pull _this?_"

"Karin?" he calls out cautiously, stepping around the corner to see what has her so riled up. What he sees is a terrified Orihime clinging to her apathetic bodyguard as his wife practically breathes down their necks. Needless to say, he's shocked. "What's going on?"

"Oh, I'll tell you what's going on," she fumes, practically rounding on him. She jerks a finger towards her two victims. "_These two _have apparently been having some sort of affair behind everyone's backs, and I just caught them in the act."

He turns his incredulous eyes on both of them, thinking it slightly unbelievable that either of them would engage in such a thing – and with each other at that. Ulquiorra had always seemed the type to never care for women in any way, and he always seemed to honor his duty more than anything. And, not that he'd given it much thought, but he would have assumed that Miss Orihime would have preferred a slightly more..._emotional_ man. But he'd married someone so completely different from himself, so he can't judge others.

Karin seems to have lost interest in him for the moment, because she turns her attention back on the two under her scrutiny. More specifically, Ulquiorra.

_"You,"_ she hisses dangerously. "How dare you touch a human in _any way. _This is _not _why I gave you the job of watching over her!"

"Please, Miss Karin," Orihime interjects, jumping in front of her apparent lover in defense. "It was _me _who reached out first. Don't blame him!"

"I damn well _will _blame him!" she yells, and to Toushiro's horror, she lunges in for an attack on one of the most skilled soldiers in his armies. Knowing there's no way he can let her do such a thing, he reflexively jerks forward and loops his arms around hers from behind, effectively locking her in place against him. Not that it stops her from twisting and struggling and kicking her legs.

"Karin, stop," he orders her coolly, slightly exasperated by her antics. She's been getting quite antsy lately, though he can't understand why.

"Let me go, Toushiro," she demands with a glare, still trying her best to get away.

"No," he answers simply, shooting the two across from them a look of contempt for putting her in such a state. They don't seem to notice, however, because their eyes are trained on his strangely deranged wife.

Finally, she lets loose, and what she says might just be the most astounding thing he has ever heard.

"Damn it!" she yells, turning her head to glower at him. "Don't you know not to get in the way of a pregnant woman, _dumbass?"_

And then, too late, she realizes what she had said in her frenzy. Obviously she had not meant to say it, because she clamps her lips shut and widens her eyes in shock. But they had all heard it, loud and clear, still ringing in the empty hallway, and no one is sure how to respond – least of all, Toushiro.

They all just _freeze._

* * *

**Ha ha, yes, that's how he finds out :P A lot of you wanted to read this scene, so I decided to write it now as an apology, since this story was missing for so long.**

**Well, that will also be the last of Ryou's major scenes. He'll probably be mentioned in the future and still get appearances, but his major part in the plot is over. I hope you guys understood his strange history and part in Aizen's plan, since I know it's kind of confusing. If you didn't, just let me know and I'll gladly explain it!**


End file.
